This past Wednesday, October 27, 2010, was my trial in Greene County. Only there was no trial. Because the Commonwealth Attorney decided not to prosecute me. Instead he had me re-arrested. In court. For the same charge. Not for any new activity. No kidding.
In order to pull a nolle prosequi, the prosecutor has to show “just cause.” In this instance, CA Mr. Morris basically said “Well, gee, Your Honor, we think we may have found a better way to get her.” Which, people, is not “just cause.” But the former-State-Trooper judge I coincidentally keep getting shoved in front of was all like “Anything you want Mr. Morris. Slurp, slurp.”
So. The only thing that has changed is rather than the opposition being confined to substantiating the allegation within the scope of August 24, 2009 - August 24, 2010, the range goes from August 30, 2009 - August 30, 2010 -- the date they clicked the cuffs on me the first time ‘round for this. No new activity.
Oh. And I now have two arrests on my record for the same effin thing, involving the same effin people, and the same effin “evidence.” There is that.
Legal manipulation at its finest.
Kinda like ending up with Obstruction of Justice convictions in two different places for the same incident -- one in the City of Charlottesville, the other in Albemarle County.
Good thing I like balance… symmetry… stuff in pairs… all that. Yeah.
Ahem. To continue. I have a new trial date. In December.
Details from Wednesday:
- 32 degrees is not a comfortable temperature for a government building.
- It didn’t take as many hours to get to the point as it did the time before, but it might as well have.
- I was once more offered this joke of a “deal.” Naturally it wasn’t until I once more refused it that I was arrested and re-charged.
- ATFers David Stone and Michael Moore were present. Nice of them to come all the way from Washington to not testify in a planned-non-occurring trial. They will again be traveling all the way from Washington in December. Have I mentioned this is a misdemeanor case?
- I dredged my brain but couldn’t for the life of me recall Mr. Stone’s name; I had to look it up when I got home.
- Additional officers present included Charlottesville Detective Todd Lucas, Greene County Investigator Rodney Snead, and The Complainant. I didn’t see CPD Detective Nicholas Rudman, though that doesn’t mean he wasn’t there. Have I mentioned this is a misdemeanor case?
- Not a shocker, Mr. Stone self-segregated in the special room with the other shield-swinging snoots. In remarkable contrast, Mr. Moore actually sat on a bench in the courtroom with all us riffraff. I think he just likes to show off his super-sparkly shoes. But it was cool to see him in there regardless.
- I am out on a $2500.00 (personal recognizance) bond. I don’t even remember if that’s the same amount as it was before or if it’s the sole different thing to break up the monotony.
