Broward County Jail

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Pre-sentencing

Interview with James, Charles and Doug

JM: Tell us about the pre-sentencing process:
James: It was so long. In January of 2006 I requested a VOP hearing, and I was postponed for 5 months by the Judge. It took 6 months for my lawyer to get a depo from the victim.
Charles: Two months, no charges declared, should of been released after 44 days without charges.
Doug: I was locked up for violation of probation with new drug charge, poss with intent oxycodone. I had a prescription for the medication and it was in the bottle tha the pharmacy gave me. The police dumped the meds out of the bottle and charged me for poss with intent after my girlfriend gave me $40 that she owed me in a bar parking lot. No pills were give to the girl as they were in my glove compartment the whole time. The police saw her give me money so they made up a story that I was selling them and they disposed of the bottle. The police also would not let me get my cell phone out of my car or anything else. All my friends phone numbers were programed in the phone. Everything was stolen out of my car after it was towed witch is normal including my cell phone. I was unable to contact witnesses or provide proof to the court of my innocence. The police lied on the report. My probation officer lied in court also saying that I probably obtained the medication illegaly even though she had been given a copy of the prescription. She told me I could have the meds as long as I had a prescription for it 2 months earlier. I have worked as an x-ray tech for 20 years and in court my probation officer stated that I was a danger to patients and was probably stealing narcotics from the hospitals where I worked. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I have no access to drugs in the hospital and I valued my job. I made alot of money with my job and did not need to sell drugs to pay my bills. I was making $23 to $28 an hour. My probation officer also called one of my jobs and told them that I was using and selling cocaine and got me fired. I was astonished at how corrupt the justice system is in Florida. At my job we deal with people that have to tell the truth in order to get proper treatment. I was completly honest with my probation officer. She took everything I said out of context and told outright lies to the court. I was sent to prison for 16 months for my prescription medicine prescribed to me by my doctor. I need a hip replacement right now and live in terrible pain. I have 2 herniated disc in my back and need surgery for that as well. I will never come back to Florida as long as I live. When I was in jail alot of police and sheriffs from Broward county were also in jail on corruption charges. Cops are nothing more than crooks with badges and guns.

JM: Did you have police stop by your house for questioning? If not please give us details on how you came to be arrested.
James: Yes.
Charles: Yea, even after I got out of broward, was extradited to palm beach, they knock on my door like where the fuck am I? MY people had to tell them Im still in jail.
Doug: no

JM: What as court like? Please give as many details as you recall.
James: After you give up your right to a speedy trial, it is just continuation after continuation. Going to court is the BIGGEST torture of Broward County. Inmates are woken up between 3- 4am and start a LONG process of waiting. Inmates with private lawyers see the judge quick, but the have been times that I've waited until 5pm before I left the holding cell. I feel that the system tortures you so much, that when a plea is offered by the state, people just take it to stop the torture of going to court.
Charles: In broward? Public Defendant was useless, handled my own case. In palm beach due to the complications of multiple county probation I hired a lawyer who I was familiar with and was an expert on probationary issues.
Doug: It was rediculous. The corrupt police lie on reports. The prosecuters and judges believe what the cops write on there reports so the whole system is rotten to the core.