Criminal Trials, Hearings eddie

[h2oeddie]

Shortly after moving to Florida in late summer 2003, my son was involved with four other boys in a property damage case in 2003. My son was 16 at the time. He was never arrested or charged, merely brought in for questioning. Three of these boys apparently had been doing property damage in the area for about a year, but the police had not been able to catch the perpetrators of the damage. My son was driving these three who he really didn't know, along with the fourth, who was a friend he had made only a few weeks earlier, back from a movie to take them home. The three had previously shoplifted at Wal-Mart, unknown to my son and his friend. On the way home the three boys in the back of the car opened the windows and began shooting wrist-rocket ammo at cars. My son stopped the car and began yelling at them. A homeowner heard the commotion and came out to see what was happening and witnessed one of the boys jumping on a car, and my son yelling for him to stop. My son convinced the boys to stop, got them into the car, and took them home. The homeowner followed them, got the license plate and traced it back to my son's friend, who's mother owned the car. The police tracked down my son and his friend at their employer's, and told them to come in for questioning, which they did. They questioned my son for four hours, without representation, without informing his mother, even though he repeatedly asked for them to call his mother. They did not allow him a phone call. At any rate, he was released, but never charged. However, the police told the other three, who they knew from other trouble these three had been in previously, that my son had given them up for all the other damage done in other incidents, which my son had not. The three went for the ruse, and confessed. The result, however, was that my son never felt safe again. The three boys continually made threats over the internet to his friend and other friends of his friend. We complained to the police, but to no avail. The DA on the case said they were bringing charges, but after two months, still no charges were made, no arrests were made. At the end of the first semester, we moved our family out of Florida. Subsequent to all of this, the other four boys were arrested and charged, and a plea agreement was made to make restitution, dividing the damages after insurance coverage among the five, even though my son was no longer in state and no charges had been brought against him formally. Months passed, and we heard nothing, were sent nothing, received nothing in writing or any phone calls from the authorities. Now over two and a half years later, my son is joining the military, has cleared a background check with the Army, and is on his way to basic training. He was involved in a car accident, and the local police got a hit for an outstanding Florida warrant, statewide in Florida only. We explained the entire story to the local police. They advised us to get this cleared up as they fear he might be arrested after he's started his basic training or beyond, even though none of his Army training will be in Florida. What should we do? Are there statutes of limitation for something like this for a minor? Were my son's rights violated at the time? Is what the police are telling us true or possible?

 

[Michael Wechsler]

Shortly after moving to Florida in late summer 2003, my son was involved with four other boys in a property damage case in 2003. My son was 16 at the time. He was never arrested or charged, merely brought in for questioning. Three of these boys apparently had been doing property damage in the area for about a year, but the police had not been able to catch the perpetrators of the damage. My son was driving these three who he really didn't know, along with the fourth, who was a friend he had made only a few weeks earlier, back from a movie to take them home. The three had previously shoplifted at Wal-Mart, unknown to my son and his friend. On the way home the three boys in the back of the car opened the windows and began shooting wrist-rocket ammo at cars. My son stopped the car and began yelling at them. A homeowner heard the commotion and came out to see what was happening and witnessed one of the boys jumping on a car, and my son yelling for him to stop. My son convinced the boys to stop, got them into the car, and took them home. The homeowner followed them, got the license plate and traced it back to my son's friend, who's mother owned the car. The police tracked down my son and his friend at their employer's, and told them to come in for questioning, which they did. They questioned my son for four hours, without representation, without informing his mother, even though he repeatedly asked for them to call his mother. They did not allow him a phone call. At any rate, he was released, but never charged. However, the police told the other three, who they knew from other trouble these three had been in previously, that my son had given them up for all the other damage done in other incidents, which my son had not. The three went for the ruse, and confessed. The result, however, was that my son never felt safe again. The three boys continually made threats over the internet to his friend and other friends of his friend. We complained to the police, but to no avail. The DA on the case said they were bringing charges, but after two months, still no charges were made, no arrests were made. At the end of the first semester, we moved our family out of Florida. Subsequent to all of this, the other four boys were arrested and charged, and a plea agreement was made to make restitution, dividing the damages after insurance coverage among the five, even though my son was no longer in state and no charges had been brought against him formally. Months passed, and we heard nothing, were sent nothing, received nothing in writing or any phone calls from the authorities. Now over two and a half years later, my son is joining the military, has cleared a background check with the Army, and is on his way to basic training. He was involved in a car accident, and the local police got a hit for an outstanding Florida warrant, statewide in Florida only. We explained the entire story to the local police. They advised us to get this cleared up as they fear he might be arrested after he's started his basic training or beyond, even though none of his Army training will be in Florida. What should we do? Are there statutes of limitation for something like this for a minor? Were my son's rights violated at the time? Is what the police are telling us true or possible?

I don't understand what your son's warrant has to do with the prior story and what it is for. Was it for the incident where he was tracked down by the police? Warrants don't just expire over time typically since otherwise the way to avoid them would be to flee and wait until they expire. It would obviously thward the system. I don't see any violation of rights and you'll need to fill i some of the blaks to help us understand what is going on...