<p>Really? In many states parents are allowed to serve alcohol to their kids inside their home.
No, alcohol is NOT a problem with this family, now with the kid. just a string of silly mistakes imho. The boy was not driving, thank goodness, he got a ride there from friends.</p>
<p>His parents probably will find out. I got a speeding ticket in NC last year and within a week I had 6 letters to my home address from attorneys in that county willing to represent me in court.</p>
<p>If it were my child or godchild I would want him or her to at least talk to a local attorney. Then a decision can be made on whether an attorney is needed.</p>
<p>Those attorneys letters will also show up for the alcohol. Every DUI attorney in the metro area will have his name; you will not believe the amount of mail this can produce!</p>
<p>Tell the parents or at the very least find out from the campus where these citations go from here. The boy needs an attorney even if he plans to plead guilty so that all his questions can be answered.</p>
<p>He has decided to plead not guilty but will consult with a local attorney first (local to where the citation was written).</p>
<p>Unfortunately he now has a letter from his own school, as the information was sent to them, (in a 3rd state, from where he lives, and where the violation occured), saying that there will be a “pre-hearing” on his campus.</p>
<p>I feel really sorry, as this kid is so clean, and his parents are so non-supportive. he just wants to do this the best way, and tell his parents after its over.</p>
<p>I don’t think you should tell his parents. He trusted you enough to tell you and if you tell his parents next time he’ll find someone else. However, I think you should explain the facts that others have shared about how his parents are going to find out anyway and let him tell them. And if he doesn’t, let him suffer the consequences.</p>
<p>I too think that his father is at fault. Whether PA allows a parent to serve a minor child or not, the father let him drink and them leave. He needs to realize and could happen when he allows that. Maybe if presented properly, the parents will see the need to supply the attorney.</p>
<p>The college safety department that issued the citation notified his school for this???</p>
<p>Yup, this college campus police notified his own university. This is even before the kid has entered his plea. It kind of makes me sick.</p>
<p>Now he is facing proceedings at his own school before he goes before the court/magistrate at the school he was visiting.</p>
<p>From what he says, the cops wrote whatever they wanted on the citations, even though he told them most of it was not true. They ignored him. He had already been handcuffed and whisked off to the station, so he was terrified at that point. He did not sign, as he did not agree to the written citation.</p>
<p>Here I am. Find a lawyer who knows his way around the local system. This will require some asking around. You don’t want to mess with this because things can go south in a hurry when you are talking about alcohol combined with tampering with public equipment. The desired result is a fine with probation and the record wiped clean after the probationary period. It may cost some bucks for the lawyer, but it’s worth it. (trust me on this one) A lot DOES depend on the jurisdiction. This might be a non-event, or it might be very serious like Wildchild’s fake ID bust in NJ. (I am a lawyer, by the way)</p>
<p>He definitely should consult a local lawyer. As posters above noted, there will be mail communication re: the citations sent to his home, so his parents are going to find out about this. If it is Pennsylvania (I seem to have started this rumor), a letter will be sent to his parents informing them of the arrest (this is required by Pa law).</p>
<p>It is sometimes possible to do the hearing over the phone - a call to the court will verify this (another reason to get a local lawyer’s advice). It is also sometimes possible to do the alcohol education classes long-distance. You need local guidance on this.</p>
<p>I find the double jeopardy of a student’s own college making them attend a disciplinary hearing for an alleged infraction that happened in a place entirely unrelated to that college completely sickening. Especially given the specious nature of the charges.</p>
<p>I suspect with a half-decent lawyer all these charges can be dismissed, though. Especially if this was in a state in which consumption of alcohol under the supervision of a parent is allowed. Because then, no legal infraction was committed in drinking the alcohol, and unless the police can prove public inebriation, nothing’s going in that front. Is the state in which this problem occurred one of those states, chocoholic?</p>
<p>As for the fire extinguisher thing, I suspect that too will be easy to get out of.</p>
<p>But I do not think it is at all tenable not to tell his parents. He needs to do that. And sooner, not later.</p>
<p>Geesh, talk about getting screwed 3 ways to Sunday. The campus security pick him up and turned him over to the town police and notified his college. If he was on a campus how were the town police even involved?</p>
<p>I agree that he does need an attorney now. Can he reply to the pre hearing notice that on the advice on his attorney he requests a delay until the original charges are resolved?</p>
<p>I would also think that PBJ is warrented with a fine and replacement of the extinguisher as more than enough, not to mention attorney fees.</p>
<p>Colleges aren’t kidding when they have frosh seminars on the rules. They do cover this kind of situation. Most parents have had mailings and of course
access to online code of conduct material.
** and
** clearly haven’t informed themselves. Apparently you think that local law enforcement should handle all of the alleged college crime? I am unclear on what you opine as a superior method??</p>
<p>hazmat: Umm… are you serious? We’re not talking about a crime committed on this guy’s own campus - in that case, it would be entirely appropriate for the college to be involved. This incident took place in another state, in a place not even remotely close to the jurisdiction the college has responsibility for (i.e. its own campus). Determining the facts of that crime is the responsibility of the local judicial system, not the kid’s original college.</p>
<p>Yes, I think exactly what you said - that this student’s college should allow the local judicial system to run to its conclusion (and I would always think this to be the superior method, except when students are suspected to pose a clear and present danger to others on the original campus as a result of the crime committed - not the case here), and if he is found guilty, discuss possible on-campus outcomes then. I am of the opinion that the college has no place trying to act as some kind of arbiter/judge for an alleged infraction that took place in an entirely different jurisdiction. I think they have neither the ability nor the responsibility to act in anyone’s best interest in that kind of case. Do you disagree?</p>
<p>Well, most college handbooks probably have a section on off-campus behavior, even in another state. To me, its ridiculous. </p>
<p>So he has to go before a Student Judiciary or something. I don’t know if a citation is considered to be a criminal charge, but I dont think so. Hopefully his own college will consider the facts of his being an exemplary student, an elected officer and a kid who, according to himself, has never missed a single class.</p>
<p>Ugh, what a nasty situation. I just told my own children the whole story, except who it happened to, just because you would never think that these things can spiral so out of control.</p>
<p>1of42Clearly the cited student must have provided his student identification or somehow informed the arresting officer of his student status. What did this kid not understand prior to his citation? That was my point. What a reciprocity policy is and how it is regulated are not for my opinion really. My suggestion is know the rules. Know the law. </p>
<p>As for across state lines. My undergrad institution was near state lines for several states. Students cross the lines for socializing, buying alcohol, gambling and many other activities which lead to law breaking. </p>
<p>As others have stated, a local attorney is of the most help in these situations.</p>
<p>I’m imagining myself in your shoes, choc, and as a godmother. Especially since he’s planning to plead not guilty, he needs a lawyer so he will actually stand a chance of winning in court. The lawyer might also dissuade him from that plea position, and he should LISTEN to his lawyer on how to plead.</p>
<p>Compliment him on not signing the police statement if he saw big errors in it. Tell him he handled himself pretty well once he realized he was in trouble. If they didn’t “let” him talk, he’s lucky because “anything he said might be used against him in court,” right? Maybe the police were actually helping him protect his Miranda rights…just wondering. How unusual for the police to do such, and if they did, LUCKY they didn’t let him “speak.”</p>
<p>I’d like to see him grow up from this moment. Can you tell him he had a different choice when walking with his friends, of turning and departing from them as soon as they began to carry the fire extinguisher? Or the choice ofr not taking the booze his dad stupidly supplied.</p>
<p>If he wants to handle it himself and then someday inform parents of the result, he is in a way trying to show maturity, not evade his parents. </p>
<p>So talk to him about how he will finance his OWN attorney fees. Let him become very responsible here. At the point he’s already hired the lawyer and made a payment plan with the lawyer (summer job that he didn’t expect to perform this summer?), then he might feel it’s more in hand and can tell his parents what’s happened more like a young adult than a baby. </p>
<p>Those are my thoughts.</p>
<p>hazmat: Not disputing that the student had probably been informed of his rights and responsibilities by his school at some point, and I’m sure this kind of thing was set down pretty clearly there. That does not, however, mean I think it is right to run this kind of basically ridiculous double jeopardy. Let the police and courts handle it, and then pick up from there if necessary - that’s my opinion.</p>
<p>Maybe you could talk to his parents for him (with his permission, of course).</p>
<p>The parental reaction might be less emotional and more rational if they hear the story from you?..</p>
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<p>This is a good (and in the long run, cheap) lesson on being very careful about the company you keep.</p>
<p>Um, I hate to say this, but, it doesn’t seem to me that he is innocent. In fact, he was drinking underage and he was with a group that stole a fire extinguisher…and he was caught holding it. He should count his blessings that he wasn’t charged with theft. I agree with the advice to hire a lawyer, but I suspect the lawyer will advise him to pay the fines.</p>