If you're accused of a crime and the DNA evidence says that you didn't do it (refer to), what grounds do they have to proceed to prosecute you? Why would they keep this going for two and a half years on no evidence!? Indulge me for a moment if you will, I'd like to convey a funny thing about Canadian law. If I exercise my right under the Canadian constitution to go to trial because I am innocent of what I am being accused of, I have to wait over 2.5 years for said trial. During this time I am forced to suffer all manner of physical, emotional and psychological abuse that comes with being an accused rapist in this modern culture. But if I plead guilty, I could get a court date inside of a week! On very short notice, the crown, the judge and the jury would all be ready and assembled to tie a nice big bow on me and send me off to jail just so they could wipe me off the books and add me to their statistics of "bad men". "Innocent until proven guilty" is clearly a phrase which holds no merit or meaning for me anymore. "Guilty until proven innocent" is more accurate. Anyways, back to my plea "deal".
My lawyer told me I was on the hook for additional charges not related to my acquittal. She says they're willing to drop 11 charges if I plead out to a lesser charge. I was told I had three days to accept the following deal; Plead guilty to trumped up charges, do 18 months joint submission (with no guarantee the judge won't give me more), with two years probation "just so they can keep an eye on me". Should I not accept the deal, my lawyer told me she would not seek out bail variations so that I could at least return to work after thirty months of hell so that I can start paying off my debts. On top of this, my lawyer tells me if I refuse to sign this plea deal, she would stop representing me. Question, can a court appointed lawyer just quit on you without lining up a replacement? Is it standard operating procedure to leave a guy high and dry like this at a moment where they really need them? They put me in a real bind. Could be they're just trying to throw me in jail just to shut me up. I guess I'm talking too much about this. They claim if I just go time severed, the matter will be done with. Well, I have a slight problem with that.
I am not perfect. I have made my mistakes in the past, but I have always admitted to and paid for them. But I will not admit fault to something I didn't do just so they can save face. In addition, who knows what's in store for me once I admit fault to a charge and throw myself at the mercy of the court? They tell me if I refuse to accept the plea deal they're going to continue to prosecute me. Is this what they call justice?!
Well, of course I told them to stick their plea bargain, which is why at the moment of this writing, I am facing a new court date scheduled for later this month with zero legal representation to speak of. A private lawyer has agreed to represent me, but he's asking 2 grand up front in order to get started on my case. Let's see, I've been either in jail or under house arrest for the past couple of years and thus haven't been able to work or earn a cent during this time. I guess what I'm saying is,...anybody got an extra two thousand bucks laying around that I can borrow?
-Tortured.
My lawyer told me I was on the hook for additional charges not related to my acquittal. She says they're willing to drop 11 charges if I plead out to a lesser charge. I was told I had three days to accept the following deal; Plead guilty to trumped up charges, do 18 months joint submission (with no guarantee the judge won't give me more), with two years probation "just so they can keep an eye on me". Should I not accept the deal, my lawyer told me she would not seek out bail variations so that I could at least return to work after thirty months of hell so that I can start paying off my debts. On top of this, my lawyer tells me if I refuse to sign this plea deal, she would stop representing me. Question, can a court appointed lawyer just quit on you without lining up a replacement? Is it standard operating procedure to leave a guy high and dry like this at a moment where they really need them? They put me in a real bind. Could be they're just trying to throw me in jail just to shut me up. I guess I'm talking too much about this. They claim if I just go time severed, the matter will be done with. Well, I have a slight problem with that.
I am not perfect. I have made my mistakes in the past, but I have always admitted to and paid for them. But I will not admit fault to something I didn't do just so they can save face. In addition, who knows what's in store for me once I admit fault to a charge and throw myself at the mercy of the court? They tell me if I refuse to accept the plea deal they're going to continue to prosecute me. Is this what they call justice?!
Well, of course I told them to stick their plea bargain, which is why at the moment of this writing, I am facing a new court date scheduled for later this month with zero legal representation to speak of. A private lawyer has agreed to represent me, but he's asking 2 grand up front in order to get started on my case. Let's see, I've been either in jail or under house arrest for the past couple of years and thus haven't been able to work or earn a cent during this time. I guess what I'm saying is,...anybody got an extra two thousand bucks laying around that I can borrow?
-Tortured.
