I understand now why so many countries in the world hate the US and why they say were are fat liars.
This all started when a know drug offender and dealer moved into our building. His Uncle had bought the building along with two other apartment buildings in DuBois and shortly afterward defaulted on his loan.
Right after Jeremy May moved in a person from a company called "The Management Company" met with me and said that they were managing the building and if we had any problems to give them a call. He also wished me luck in dealing with Jeremy.
When Jeremy moved in he also brought with him a Pit Bull Dog. There were never allowed any pets in the building before but the new owner no longer cared. Whenever Jeremy would leave his apartment; his dog would start barking and would not stop until he returned. The other tenants and we put up with this constant barking for a number of weeks before calling the police. When the police arrived Jeremy was already home and the police said they did not hear any barking. Another time they were called the dog was barking but there was nobody home so they said they could not do anything about it!
The apartment building is in downtown DuBois and there are not very many grassy areas around the building. There is a small piece of grass about the size of two parking spaces behind my garage and Jeremy was daily taking his dog down there to do its business. I told him that DuBois has dog laws saying that you have to clean up after your dog and that there was a dumpster not 10 feet away from where his dog was doing its business, for him to scoop up his messes and throw it in the dumpster. I repeatedly told him this week after week for over four months. After repeatedly stepping in the messes and after being informed by my neighbor that he would no longer be mowing the grass because of the dog messes, I gave Jeremy his last warning and told him if I saw it again I would call the police. A couple days later I go out to the Dumpster and almost step in a couple more messes. On 9-23-06 I called the police and told them about the situation. They went upstairs to talk to Jeremy and came back down and told me, that I could not prove that it was his dog. I told them I could and that we could go ask my neighbor that saw Jeremy and his dog back there. The Police Officer refused to talk to anyone else and left. I told him I would have a surveillance camera up back there by the weekend and did. When Jeremy found out about the camera he never walked his dog back there again.
On 9-25-06 after I had called the police about the dog messes, Jeremy came storming into our Store and started shouting and swearing at me about calling the police. He threatened me and called me a liar. He got within a couple of inches of my face and was trying to get me to fight with him. I told him to get out of our store and that he and his family were not welcome on any of our property. He told me that I could not make him leave and started to get even more aggressive. I reached over the counter and grabbed a baseball bat and told him to leave. He said what are you going to do hit me? I said no this is for my own protection and I put my hand on his shoulder and escorted him to the door. My wife opened the door and he walk out under his own power. He stood outside our store for a couple minutes swearing and yelling and then slammed the door going into the apartment building wide open.
A while later the police came to our store saying that Jeremy told them that I hit him with a baseball bat. My wife and I both made statements about what really happened and we did not hear anything else about it. Later that evening Jeremy is standing outside our apartment yelling at the top of his lungs with his 7 or 8 year old daughter standing right beside him “You F___in’ pervert, Go F___ your Mother!” We called the police again but they told us that Jeremy has freedom of speech and did nothing again.
Days later while walking down the stairs from my apartment Jeremy was walking up and pretended to trip and shoved me against the wall, I felt it was very childish and ignored the assault.
We called the police many more times after that for numerous violations of disturbing the peace, terrorist threats, fights in the hallways, witnessed drug deals and Jeremy’s having his daughter bring her friends over to purposely make as much noise as possible to disturb us. My wife and I as well as some of the neighbors in the Alley have called the police about witnessing drug deals going down and none of us have ever gotten a police office to respond whenever we have ever mentioned Jeremy May and Drugs.
On October 6, 2006 at 5:27 pm I received a phone call from my wife saying that Jeremy May was outside her door on the 3rd floor pounding on her door. I was at the other end of the building on the second floor, and I then heard him pounding on our second floor door. I hung up with my wife and answered the door.
Jeremy was outside my door and said he just wanted to apologize for the language to my wife. I told him he shouldn’t have to apologize; there shouldn’t be any yelling and swearing in the hallways. Jeremy then told me to stay on my own side of the building and I am not allowed to use the back entrance/exit on his side of the building. I told him he does not own any property and you can not stop my access to the doorway. He was swearing back at me, so I walked back into my home and called the police for a domestic disturbance.
The police showed up and I told them my wife heard loud shouting and swearing out in the hallway and told them through the wall to watch their language. That was when Jeremy started pounding on the doors. I then told them what I just said above.
The Police showed up and talked to us and Jeremy.
At 6:10 pm I heard some shouting and a couple of bangs coming from the back of the building. I looked out the back window, but did not see anything.
At 6:15 pm I walked my wife to Bingo at the VFW and on the way back I walked down the alley and checked out my back garage door. There was no apparent damage, so I turned around to go home. As soon as I turned around I saw Jeremy walking toward me and saying he wanted to talk. I told him I didn’t have anything to say, if he wants to tell me something, tell the police, and I walked past him.
As I was walking into the back entrance he jumped in front of me, body slamming me against the wall and he grabbed the stair railing with his right hand and the door frame with his left hand and blocked my entry to the building. He then was looking over his shoulder and was hollering hit me go ahead hit me! I turned around and walked out and said, no I will just go call the police. I then walked into our Store (Prothero’s R/C Planes & Bikes) and called the police with my home line. I then left my Store and walked up the front stairs to my home and Jeremy was yelling something at me from the far end of the hallway, but I was trying to ignore him and said “Don’t go far the Police are on their way” and I walked into my home.
When the police got there they refused to do anything and told me if they were going to cite anyone they would cite us both. I said “Then Fine, Do It” He said I would have to fill out a statement and I did.
11-10-06 Thursday evening around 6:45pm I was served a Subpoena by a DuBois Police Officer and was talking to him about the damage that was done to my porch. I asked him if he would take a look at it and he told me to take some picture and present it on Monday at the hearing.
Friday Morning at about 9:15am I left my apartment and walked back to the porch to take some pictures and while doing so I noticed a man waking up the stairs headed for Jeremy May’s apartment. I asked him if he was living with Jeremy and he ignored me. I started to walk away and he hollered “Where do you live?” I said I own the building. He then asked if I was going to do some remodeling and I told him “No not right now” and I walked away and went down stairs to open our Store.
Very shortly after opening the Store I hear very load yelling and swearing at first it sounded far away and perhaps the 3rd floor and then I could hear it coming from the back porch area and then I hear very load stomping down the back stairs and more profanity as it continued into the Second floor hallway.
I was concerned that there may have been a fight or something going on upstairs, so I grabbed my camera and ran out of the Store and started up the stairs. I stopped on the stairs about 2 or 3 steps from the second floor landing and I could see Jeremy, his mother, I think his girl friend and the man I saw on the back porch. Jeremy saw me right away and continued swearing and threatening me, saying you don’t know who you are messing with and that he could send his gang after me and I can not be taking pictures of the area and then said here take a F___ing picture of this as he raised his middle finger. I thought to myself, well I guess he is giving me permission to take a photo, so I did. As soon as I took the picture he started towards me and I went back down the stairs and immediately called the Police. I did not say a single word to him or anyone else in the hallway.
11-13-06 We go the District Magistrates Office for hearings, one for a citation I received claiming I hit Jeremy with a Baseball Bat back on 9-25-06 and also as a witness for the City for a Citation Jeremy received on 10-6-06 the same day as the Assault.
I brought along with me video footage, photographs and two witnesses (my wife and Lenny Larkin) The first case is the City against Jeremy May for the Assault (which they only sited him for harassment) Office Prosper called me to the stand to testify against Jeremy. Office Prosper asked me to explain what happened on 10-6-2007. As I started to testify I was interrupted by Magistrate Patrick Ford as he said “Oh yes, we have another citation for Mr. Hook don’t we?” Office Stanton was standing at the back of the Court Room and said yes it is right there on your desk. Magistrate Patrick Ford looked at the paper work and handed it to me and asked me if I was ready to defend myself on that Citation as well. Being thrown for a loop, not knowing what to do or say I said sure why not? Thinking I would get a chance to defend myself!
I was told to continue with my testimony and was explaining what had happened earlier with the swearing and my wife calling when Jeremy started interrupting and arguing with me, Office Prosper and Magistrate Patrick Ford. I was not given a chance to finish my testimony, nor did I even get to the point where he actually hit me. I was told to take a seat and Jeremy was given and opportunity to present his witnesses.
Jeremy called his Mother to the stand and asked her what she saw when standing at the top of the stairs? His mother started crying and said” I, I, I can’t do this, I can’t do this” and got down off the stand and grabbed her coat and bag and left the court room.
Magistrate Patrick Ford asked Jeremy if his mother was alright and Jeremy said “no she had a stroke years back” and the Magistrate told him maybe you should not have brought her here; do you need to check on her? Jeremy turned around and shouted “Stanton, Go check on my Mom”. Office Stanton and Office Lockwood immediately ran out of the Court room in the direction of Jeremy’s mother! I looked at my wife and Lenny Larking and we all said Wow he is ordering the police around! Jeremy then got up and went out to his mother. He then returned to the Courtroom and walked past the court and as he walked into another room, he said I am going to call my uncle to come pick up my mother. The Magistrate said we would take a 5 minute recess. After a short while he called the hearing back to order and immediately one of the secretaries from the front of the building came into the Courtroom and said “That lady out here just collapsed on to the floor!” Magistrate Patrick Ford said “Call 911” nonchalantly and said we would take a 15 minute recess.
Jeremy and all three police officers immediately went out to check on her leaving only the three of us in the Courtroom. Almost immediately Jeremy comes back into the Courtroom and starts threatening my life and saying how this is all my fault. The three police officers were less than 20 feet away and had to of seen the whole thing, but did not do a thing. When Court came back, Magistrate Patrick Ford said he had heard enough and asked Officer Prosper who he thought was guilty in this case? Prosper said: I think they are both guilty! Even though he was not there to witness any of what happened. The Magistrate then said we were both guilty of Harassment and how much the fine would be and when sentencing would be. He then also Stood up and said if either one of you ever call the police again you will both go to jail for 30 days! He also said for Officer Stanton to go ahead and through out the other Harassment charge against me. While Officer Stanton was filling out some kind of document on the Magistrate’s bench I asked him what I was supposed to do, if Jeremy hit me again or stands outside my apartment harassing me, if I can not call the police? Stanton got extremely irritated and said: That’s it, you just don’t get it! I’m not throwing this out! And stormed into the Magistrates office and said we are going threw with this other charge!
Two weeks later, at 2:30 am I was awoken by hollering outside my apartment in front of our building. I right away realized it was Jeremy and he was trying to call me out to confront him. I peeked out the window through the edge of the curtains and could see him and his friend, yelling and swearing. His friend was trying to calm him down and the two of them walked over in front of my Van. I had to go to the side window of my apartment to look out and saw Jeremy pick up a rock and scratch the hood of my van.
I went to the police station and showed them what he did and told them what I saw. Officer Roy said he would have him cited for Criminal Mischief and seek restitution for my damages.
When we went back to court for the other charge of harassment against me, I was given a letter informing me that Officer Stanton had dropped the charges once again.
I appealed the earlier harassment charge and was given a court date the same day as when Jeremy had an appeal for the Criminal Mischief. I was subpoenaed to appear as a witness for the DA in that case. Jeremy’s appeal was first but the Public Defender came to me and asked if I would drop the jail time that Jeremy would receive if found guilty, because his girl friend was pregnant and was supposed to give birth any day. In return they would drop the Harassment charges against me. I agreed, and we went into the Court Room. Jeremy was ordered to pay a small fine, restitution of $297 and Court Costs. They then went to my case and the DA said they were dropping the charges against me. And the Judge asked who was paying the Court Costs and the DA said it would be up to me to pay them. I don’t understand why I would have to pay Court Cost, when I was not found guilty of anything! But I guess that is the American Way!
Back in December 13, 2006, when we went to file the appeal, we found that Magistrate Patrick Ford not only recorded to the County Court House that I was found guilty of the one Harassment charge but actually guilty of both charges. I felt this as a falsification of court documents and went to Judge Amerman’s Office to try to discuss it with him. His Secretary would not let me meet with him, so we went to DA’s office to talk to him. He did meet with us for about and Hour and a half. We told him what had been going on and he looked up the records. He called the Magistrates office and got the records straightened up. He said he could not understand why these police officers were harassing me when I did not have any kind of record and Jeremy May has an extensive criminal background. He said he has no power over the Magistrate, only Judge Amerman can do that, but he would watch any cases that came to Clearfield involving Officer Stanton of Prosper.
I then posted a thread on a local web site discussing the problems I was having with this Jeremy May and how the police would refuse to do anything about it. After many replies back and forth discussing the matter, I was asked: If this kid really is doing all of this criminal activity, why would these police officers be defending him. I replied: In my opinion Officer Stanton, Prosper and Magistrate Patrick Ford are either receiving Drugs or Drug Money from this kid! Because I can not see any other reason for their actions!
Within a few moments the entire thread was removed from the web site. Curious about why it was removed I emailed Steve Pompeii asking why the thread was removed, and he told me that he deleted the thread to protect me. He said that he had already received two emails and a phone call from people claiming to be from the DuBois Police and the DA’s Office, wanting a printout of the thread. He had no way to verify the emails or the phone call and told them that the thread was already deleted and because it was on a web server he had no way to recover them. I told him I wish he would not have done that and that I was simply stating my opinion and that it would be considered freedom of speech.
A couple of weeks later I read in the paper about Jeremy May being involved in a gang fight at the DuBois City Park with minors. That evening I hear a disturbance outside my apartment and look out the window of my apartment door to see Jeremy’s Mother, Girl friend, daughter and friends all standing at the top of the stairs, taking photographs of Jeremy walking up the stairs. I figured at that point that they must have been welcoming Jeremy home after he spent a night in jail. So I opened my apartment door and asked him: How was his night in jail? Jeremy let out a flurry of swearing and threats and then started into his mother’s apartment he then turned around and said: You’ll get yours on Monday!
Monday morning while on my way to open our store I decided I better grab my Camcorder incase he comes into the store and causes a problem and the Court Dockets I have about Jeremy and try to call what I thought was his Probationary Officer to discuss the problems we were having with him.
When I walked out of my apartment to head down the stairs I see Jeremy’s Pit Bull dog standing at the bottom of the stairs. The dog was growling at me as usual and I started down the stairs. After walking down a few steps, Jeremy walked into the bottom door and looked up at me. He motioned with his index finger pointing at me from his waist and his dog immediately went into a very aggressive nature, growling and showing his teeth! I paused for a moment and then continued down the stairs. When we passed each other in the stairwell, I was watching his dog very closely thinking I was going to get bit at any moment. Then all of a sudden Jeremy slammed his left elbow into my chest, pinning me against the wall and had his right hand balled into a fist about 6 inches from my face. With both hands full I came across with my right hand, which had the folder full of Court Dockets in it, and hit Jeremy in the face. Jeremy backed off and said: You f----in did it now! And I immediately went down the stairs out and into my store and called the police.
Within 2 minutes I see Officer Stanton run past the front of my store. I hurry up to the front of my store and look out the door to see why he went running by. When I look out the door and around the corner of the building I see Officer Stanton standing over Jeremy May and swinging his fist at Jeremy’s Left Eye. He was also yelling at Jeremy saying: You Shut the F—k up! I immediately went back into the store and told my wife what I saw. Then a friend of my wife walked in and asked what was going on. She saw the police cars and the Officer yelling at Jeremy. We started telling her what had happened when Officer Stanton walked in the door and back to the counter where we were standing. Officer Stanton tossed a Witness Statement paper on the counter and said: Fill that out and call up to the police station and someone will come to pick it up. He then turned to walk out the door. As he was walking away I asked: Don’t you even want to hear my side of the story? Officer Stanton stopped turned around and pointed his finger at my face and said: I should just go ahead and read you your rights, right now before you even fill that out! He then turned and walked out the door.
I immediately started filling out the form in an effort to get it back to them before they left. I then saw an ambulance pull in and saw them letting Jeremy in the side door of the ambulance. After filling out the form I walked to the front of the store and opened the door to hand my Statement to Officer Lockwood who seemed to be standing guard in front of our store. Officer Lockwood looked at me and refused to take my statement and told me to go back into my store and that he would be in to get it.
Officer Lockwood then walked across the street and got a camera out of his car. He came back across the street and stepped into the ambulance and took a picture of Jeremy’s eye. After he left the ambulance the attendants closed the doors to the ambulance and prepared to leave and Officer Lockwood was back to standing guard in front of our door. I again opened our door and tried to hand him my statement, and again he told me to get back into our store! I closed the door and waited as the ambulance pulled away. Officer Lockwood then walked across the street and got into his car. He put his camera away and started to pull away, I stepped outside my store and waved my statement paper over my head. Officer Lockwood stopped and lowered his window and said: I’ll be back for that! And drove away!
We waited for an hour for someone to stop and pick up my statement and nobody showed. It was now lunch time and we decided to go upstairs to eat lunch. While climbing the stairs, I realized that whenever I took a beep breath I would get a sharp pain in my chest where Jeremy hit me with his elbow. I decided then that I should go to the Hospital and get an x-ray to see if he had cracked any ribs or not. I told my wife: If anyone shows up for my statement send them up to the ER.
I spent the next 4 hours at the Emergency Room getting x-rays and being examined by the Emergency room doctor. The Doctor said that I did have a contusion to the chest due to assault but the x-rays did not show and fractures, but I should have them examined by my doctor. When they released me I walked out of the ER and into the Waiting area, where I ran into Officer Stanton and Officer Lockwood. Upon seeing them I asked if they where there to get my statement and Officer Stanton said: NO, We’re her with a warrant for your arrest! I said: Arrest, For what? Stanton said: Assault! I said: I didn’t Assault anyone! And he said: What would you call it? You fractured his scull in two places and it is going to require surgery! I said: Oh Bull: I call it self defense! He hit me first and I’m here with a contusion to the chest! They then took the papers out of my hand and spun me around to hand cuff my hands behind my back! I told them that having my hands behind my back was hurting my chest, and Officer Stanton told me to shut up!
They took me out to the Police car and Officer Lockwood put my papers on the roof of the car and the wind blew them out through the snow and bushes. He then took me by the back of the head and shoved me in to the back seat of the car face first. After collecting up my papers, he then drove me to the District Magistrates Office to be arraigned. We got to the Magistrates to find the parking lot empty. It was only 2 or 3 minutes after 4:00 and the Office is scheduled to close at 4:00. The Warrant for my arrested was time stamped 3:38 pm, with the Magistrate knowing that Officers Stanton and Lockwood were going to pick me up, he still left as soon as possible so as to make me have to spend the night in jail. Patrons of the Polaski Club in DuBois have told me that they saw Magistrate Patrick Ford sitting belly up to the bar at 4:00 that day and that you can usually find him there directly after work. Patrick Ford would not answer his Cell phone nor his Home Phone numbers.
They took me to the City Lockup Cell taking away my shoes, coat, flannel shirt, watch and everything in my pockets. They placed me in a 4 x 8 x8 cell with no heat, the cot was angle iron with steel straps and no mattress or padding of any kind, there is a steel toilet with no water faucet or way to get a drink. I had not eaten anything since the couple pieces of toast that I had for breakfast. They held me there for three hours, I asked for food and water and they told me they did not have anything. I told them I was cold and could not stop shaking and asked for a blanket and they said they did not have one! (Have you ever seen a police officer that did not have an emergency blanket in the back of their car?) My teeth chattered so bad that I broke the side of one of my teeth off. They refused to let me call anyone and my wife and her daughter were call the police station trying to find me, because they went to the hospital looking for me and found my Van but the hospital said I had already left. The police refused to tell my wife or her daughter that they had me in custody. When my wife finally went to the police station to confront them they finally said: They did have me in custody and that they did not have to inform her because I was a big boy now!
At 7:00 pm after three hours of freezing with no food or water, they finally take out of the cell and let me put my shoes and coat on. Then they put me in shackles and put me in the back of Officers Lockwood’s police car. They did not seat buckle me in and I had no way of doing it my self with my hands cuffed and attached to my waist. They told me they were taking me to Houtzdale to be arraigned in front of Magistrate Hawkins. It was a terrifying ride to Houtzdale with Officer Lockwood making the trip in under 30 min., while speeding down I-80, I looked at the dashboard and saw that he was going over 100 mph and was weaving passed Tractor Trailers on both sides. He was not running any flashing lights or even 4 ways. He continued driving hazardously the entire trip even passing cars on RT. 153 in no passing zones and blind curves. Officer Lockwood was definitely endangering my life and anyone else on the road!
Upon arrival of the Magistrates Office, I was removed from the car and placed in the Court Room in the defendant seat. After about 30 minutes of waiting the Magistrate came in and told me not to say anything, if he wants me to say something he would ask me a question. He then asked me if I had ever been arrested before? I told him NO NEVER! He then said I have here that you have been arrested 4 times. I said what I have never been arrested before! He then said you didn’t have a speeding ticket about 10 years ago? I said what? Yea sure, I have had a few minor tickets over the past 30 years! He said a ticket is the same as an arrest! I tried to apologize for not understanding but he would not let me speak. He then set the Bail at $25,000.00 secured and said even though it was long distance he would let me make my one phone call. I called my wife and could not stop crying.
They then loaded me back up in the back of Officer Lockwood’s car and we started back toward Clearfield. While driving through downtown Clearfield and going past the Court House, Officer Lockwood asked me if I knew how to get to the Clearfield County Jail? I said I don’t know, you just went past the Court House isn’t it in there? He said NO it is out by the Mall somewhere. I told him if you want to go out to the Mall you will have to make a right up here at the light. He then immediately turned right from the left hand lane directly into the path of the car beside him. I told him to look out and the car beside us slammed on the brakes. Officer Lockwood did not seem to care, he continued to make the turn and we went out past the Mall. He went past the road we were supposed turn right on and made a U turn just before the bridge, in front of traffic.
Once in the Clearfield County Jail, I asked the guard for something to eat and drink because I hadn’t gotten anything to eat since 9:00 am. He told me dinner had already been served but would look to see what he could find. He brought back a paper bag with a gray substance between the bread and a frozen banana; he also told me I could get a drink of water from the fountain on the back of the toilet. He then brought in to me a blanket and a cushion.
As I laid there all night not able to sleep and trying to figure out why all this was happening to me, I was praying to God for him to take my life and put me out of this misery!
At about 12:00 the next day my wife was finally able to make bail, by getting her friend to put over $1,700 dollars on her credit card for the bail bondsman fee.
That Friday was the Arraignment hearing and my mother had paid an Attorney to represent me. At the hearing my attorney said that he was not going to put me on the stand and they can not force me to take the stand. I thought that was pretty dumb not putting up any kind of a defense, but he reassured me that that was the right thing to do. During the hearing Jeremy changed his story at least 3 times. When my Attorney went to question him, he called Jeremy by my name and I had to correct him. All I could think at that point was, what kind of an idiot, did I have for an attorney! Magistrate Patrick Ford acted like he was not even paying attention and afterward said he was holding the case over to Clearfield County.
My next meeting with my Attorney he tells me that I have a very good case and only a very slim chance of not being found innocent. Because the case was so easy that he would only charge me $3,000 instead of his normal $5,000 to represent me. I told him I could not afford that, and he said he would have to have the money upfront before the trial. I asked him if he would also help me recoup my attorney fees and after I was found innocent and he told me no, he only does Criminal Law. I went to a number of Attorneys looking for something I could afford, but was unsuccessful I went to the Public Defenders Office and was denied, without reason. I reapplied again and they told me I was falsifying my application, because there was no way I could be living on what my Income Tax forms showed. If they think I don’t make enough money to even survive, how do they expect me to pay an attorney?
Having now to defend myself whether I want to or not. I decided to do what I was told I had to do, which was to file a motion for discovery. I filed the motion in February but did not ever get anything in response.
June was when the appeals about the harassment and the Criminal Mischief took place and Jeremy was ordered to pay the fines and restitution. July he sill had not paid anything. August, still nothing. September, still nothing.
September I received a letter in the mail to show up at Clearfield County Court for a Criminal Call. I had no idea what that was. When I got there DA Leanne Nedza called my name and told me, I was there incase I wanted to plea bargain for a lesser charge. I said for what, I did not do anything and that no juror in there right mind is going to believe I assaulted a 26 year old gang banger with a Pit Bull. I said and besides you sill have not released your discovery to me! She said I did not ask for it or else my attorney would have it! I said I do not have an attorney and yes I did ask for it and I have a copy of it right here as I looked through my papers for it. As I looked she was looking through hers and says: What’s this? I looked over and said that’s my motion for discovery dated back to February. She said will I don’t know why you didn’t get it, but you’ll have it before you leave today, I don’t care if you have to sit here all day long. It will be the last thing I do today, and you can not leave until I release you as a condition to your bail! I asked her if she was interested in Justice or just another conviction? She looked at me with a shocked look and said she took offence that remark! And I said then I guess your just looking for another conviction for your record, whether I ‘m guilty or not! She then told me to take a seat as it looked like she was about to cry. We sat there in the court room for over an hour before she returned and then she sat and talked to another DA for about 15 minutes before getting a different folder and calling up a different name. The other DA then called my name and I went up to talk to him. He told me I was there incase I wanted to accept a plea bargain. The offer was a reduced sentence for Assault. I said no way, even if I was found guilty, it is my first offense and the most I would get is Probation. He then said here is the discovery you wanted and set a number of copied pages on the table in front of me. I told him I want him to sign and date it for me and he said no. You sign and date it! I said now what kind of lawyer are you? It doesn’t make any sense for me to sign and date it! I could put any date I want on it! And he picked up the papers and counted how many sheets there were and wrote on the back of it: so many pages of discovery of which the defendant had not requested before hand. Signed it and dated it. I thought wow, how he can sit there and lie with the proof right there in front of him! But again I guess we can sum that up to be an American! He probably calls that freedom of speech!
My wife and I then left there to see the Collections officer to see if Jeremy had paid any of his restitution. They told me no and he also did not do any of his community service that was ordered for him to do. They told me that there was a warrant for his arrest to appear at a Revocation hearing and told where and when that hearing was. We went to that hearing and the Judge found that Jeremy had not paid anything in his fines or perform any of his community service. He had also tested positive for a controlled substance at his probationary officer meeting. The Judge asked if he had bend test recently and the officer said no. The Judge ordered him to be test right now and they left the court room to do so. When they returned they found he tested positive again and they sentenced him to 30 day in jail.
I thought this was a good thing seeing how he would be in jail during the time of my trial. But instead the day of the trial they bring him in, in a suit and tie. All dressed up with no way of telling he was an inmate! I was told I was not allowed to make any reference of him being in jail nor was I allowed to bring up his two prior convictions of possession of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver!
I was refused a public attorney and they would not explain why or let me explain any of my income or discuss the value of the property my wife owns. They only said he did not trust me, the way I filled out their forms and that my wife owns developed property. I showed them the letter of denial for a loan for attorney fees, but they did not care.
I ended up going to court trying to defend myself with absolutely no training or experience. Needless to say I lost the case with them finding me guilty of a lesser charge of M3 Mutual Scuffle.
They sentenced me to 1 year probation, $300 fine plus costs, 75 hours of community service and Anger Management.
I went home and attempted to take my shot gun to myself, but was stopped by my wife. I then went for a walk down the highway, walking down the white line, in hopes that someone would take me out! But a State police officer pulled over and took me home.
I filed a post sentence motion. To try to get the Mutual Scuffle charge thrown out, because they added that charge only a day or two before the trial and with having an attorney I did not have enough time to research the charge and come up with a defense. I also said the sentencing was too harsh, because I had already spent a night in jail for a misdemeanor offence and I have had no priors other than 10 year old minor traffic violation.
Judge Riley threw out my motion and I am now contemplating what to do with my life!
I am tired of fighting this and getting nowhere! I feel like I am working from 7:00 am till 11:00 pm every night of the week and getting nowhere. I had lost the job I thought I was going to work at till retirement when I was laid off form Riverside Warehouse in 1996. My Brother ripped me off on a business deal, with the selling of Keystone Internet Access in 1999 by $250,000. I have no family left that I want to have anything to do with anymore, other than my wife, who does not understand why I am feeling this way! And the one thing in life that I enjoyed most of all has now been taken away from me, that is my love for flying R/C Planes. Members of the Club I help start 15 years ago are now alienating me from the club and making it very apparent they do not want me around. I have not flown a plane since the middle of October 2007. Pretty bad to say I went about 20 years without missing hardly a week without getting in at least one flight in. Now I don’t care if I ever fly again.
All of this has put me into a state of depression. With much counseling and support from true friends and family I am trying hard to cope.