Sometimes our legal system *does* work.
May. 19th, 2004 08:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lionkingcmslI just got a letter from the Atlantic County (New Jersey) Prosecutor which gives me a satisfied smile.
Some, actually most, of you may not know what happened to me on Dec 31st of last year.
I was driving to Somers Point to help Tony do a New Years Dance at the VFW for "Parents Without Partners". While I was going through a wooded area I saw something brown fly pass my windshield and heard a "BANG!!!" I thought I had hit a deer. I pulled over and there were two other cars pulled over as well, one with a smashed in windshield. When I got out they asked if I had hit something also. I said yes, I think it was a deer. They said no, it was kids throwing hunks of trees into the road from the woods. We called the police and while they were there another car pulled up and said they had hit something.
The cops started searching but couldn't find anyone, but they thought who may be responsible.
Fast forward to late March early April. I gat a letter from the prosecutor's office asking for me to fill out a claim form for uninsured damages. They named the defendants, as they caught the juveniles involved. I sent the claim back saying all that happened was that my bumper got scuffed (true) and I buffed it out (false, as I didn't do anything). I wasn't looking for restitution, but to send a message to the juveniles that they will be held responsible for their actions.
Fast forward to today and the letter I got. It seems three of the 4 defendants were found guilty and the fourth juvenile had his case dismissed as he showed proof that he was out of town on that night.
The sentencing was no contact with victims nor contact with the co-defendants, except in two cases where they are brothers (i.e. A has to stay from B and C, but B and C have to stay away from A only as they are brothers). Also they have 1 year probation, 30 hours community service and to pay restitution. Two of the defendants have to attend school, as I believe the one graduates this year, but I do not know their ages.
So, the court system does work and is fair at times.
Some, actually most, of you may not know what happened to me on Dec 31st of last year.
I was driving to Somers Point to help Tony do a New Years Dance at the VFW for "Parents Without Partners". While I was going through a wooded area I saw something brown fly pass my windshield and heard a "BANG!!!" I thought I had hit a deer. I pulled over and there were two other cars pulled over as well, one with a smashed in windshield. When I got out they asked if I had hit something also. I said yes, I think it was a deer. They said no, it was kids throwing hunks of trees into the road from the woods. We called the police and while they were there another car pulled up and said they had hit something.
The cops started searching but couldn't find anyone, but they thought who may be responsible.
Fast forward to late March early April. I gat a letter from the prosecutor's office asking for me to fill out a claim form for uninsured damages. They named the defendants, as they caught the juveniles involved. I sent the claim back saying all that happened was that my bumper got scuffed (true) and I buffed it out (false, as I didn't do anything). I wasn't looking for restitution, but to send a message to the juveniles that they will be held responsible for their actions.
Fast forward to today and the letter I got. It seems three of the 4 defendants were found guilty and the fourth juvenile had his case dismissed as he showed proof that he was out of town on that night.
The sentencing was no contact with victims nor contact with the co-defendants, except in two cases where they are brothers (i.e. A has to stay from B and C, but B and C have to stay away from A only as they are brothers). Also they have 1 year probation, 30 hours community service and to pay restitution. Two of the defendants have to attend school, as I believe the one graduates this year, but I do not know their ages.
So, the court system does work and is fair at times.
