My jurisdiction is: Riverside county, California
I was arrested for domestic violence but it was dropped to a misdemeanor due to no actual bodily contact or harm. My girlfriend of 3 1/2 years didn't want me arrested, it was speculation from a neighbor that she was hurt. The police took a while to arrive apparently, because the fight was over and I was in the shower getting ready to go to bed. The police came while I was in the shower. They got a statement from her. According the her statement I had gently pushed her back to prevent her from accidentally stepping on my hand while attempting to pick up a cigarette off of the ground. The officers said they needed a statement from me as well, so they said they needed her to let them into my apartment since she has keys (she was at another neighbors apartment when they arrived). They bashed the bathroom door in, pulled me from the shower and arrested me with no questions asked. When pulled from the bathroom, there were 10+ cops in my small studio apartment. I did not resist at all, for I knew what that would cause. They let my towel fall from my waist in the middle of the street and laughed at me while traffic was passing by as I stood there handcuffed and in the full nude soaking wet in the midnight cold. Waiting for them to grab me minimal articles of clothing, she repeatedly told them the argument was resolved and I didn't hurt her, but they insisted on taking me in. At the holding cell they heckled me, calling me a tough guy and telling the other officers that I like to beat up women. They also were calling me a loser because I put my girlfriend down as my emergency contact, chuckling and saying "Yeah, that'll happen!". I also notified them of a recent wrist surgery I had, and requested that the handcuffs be loosened to allow for potential swelling. They informed me that that wasn't their problem and said they were fine. They took no statement from me throughout the entire ordeal, and when I asked for an attorney, they said when I make my statement I will be given one. Within 5 minutes 2 female officers came in, cuffed my ankles and hauled me to county jail. I asked if I am able to speak to a lawyer and they said "I guess not" and laughed. Because of this, I missed work on a very important day as well as 2 college courses. My bail for 10% of $25,000 was posted the following day at 1:00 pm. I was not released until 10:30 that night, and was told I could not return to my home for 5 days. My girlfriend had no intentions of filing any charges or having me sent to jail, and she has requested the DA multiple times to drop the charges but they refuse, stating they have enough evidence to file them. She asked what the evidence was, since the charges are being placed on her behalf and she has no marks or bruises whatsoever and they are extremely unclear as to what it is they are using as evidence. What can I do about this?
-Marcus Bush
Palm Desert California
I was arrested for domestic violence but it was dropped to a misdemeanor due to no actual bodily contact or harm. My girlfriend of 3 1/2 years didn't want me arrested, it was speculation from a neighbor that she was hurt. The police took a while to arrive apparently, because the fight was over and I was in the shower getting ready to go to bed. The police came while I was in the shower. They got a statement from her. According the her statement I had gently pushed her back to prevent her from accidentally stepping on my hand while attempting to pick up a cigarette off of the ground. The officers said they needed a statement from me as well, so they said they needed her to let them into my apartment since she has keys (she was at another neighbors apartment when they arrived). They bashed the bathroom door in, pulled me from the shower and arrested me with no questions asked. When pulled from the bathroom, there were 10+ cops in my small studio apartment. I did not resist at all, for I knew what that would cause. They let my towel fall from my waist in the middle of the street and laughed at me while traffic was passing by as I stood there handcuffed and in the full nude soaking wet in the midnight cold. Waiting for them to grab me minimal articles of clothing, she repeatedly told them the argument was resolved and I didn't hurt her, but they insisted on taking me in. At the holding cell they heckled me, calling me a tough guy and telling the other officers that I like to beat up women. They also were calling me a loser because I put my girlfriend down as my emergency contact, chuckling and saying "Yeah, that'll happen!". I also notified them of a recent wrist surgery I had, and requested that the handcuffs be loosened to allow for potential swelling. They informed me that that wasn't their problem and said they were fine. They took no statement from me throughout the entire ordeal, and when I asked for an attorney, they said when I make my statement I will be given one. Within 5 minutes 2 female officers came in, cuffed my ankles and hauled me to county jail. I asked if I am able to speak to a lawyer and they said "I guess not" and laughed. Because of this, I missed work on a very important day as well as 2 college courses. My bail for 10% of $25,000 was posted the following day at 1:00 pm. I was not released until 10:30 that night, and was told I could not return to my home for 5 days. My girlfriend had no intentions of filing any charges or having me sent to jail, and she has requested the DA multiple times to drop the charges but they refuse, stating they have enough evidence to file them. She asked what the evidence was, since the charges are being placed on her behalf and she has no marks or bruises whatsoever and they are extremely unclear as to what it is they are using as evidence. What can I do about this?
-Marcus Bush
Palm Desert California
