I have been branded a criminal by the State of NC
Posted: March 19th, 2012, 6:51 pm
Today while driving home I was pulled over by a Morehead City cop for "driving too close". They love that excuse, it's very common here even though probably 95% of the people pulled over are well back of the car in front of them. This is just an excuse for them to further check you out, which is what of course they did to me. Usually they come back after a minute or so and send you on your merry way with a warning, but this time they got me to step out of my car so they could handcuff me. They told me the charge was for writing a worthless check, which made no sense to me since I just looked at my bank account yesterday and it was ok, and I never write checks. I figured that either they had the wrong person or that someone stole my checkbook.
After a very uncomfortable car ride (at least they let me ride up front) I was taken in front of the magistrate and presented with a warrant from June 6th, 1999. This warrant was for a worthless check...written for total of SIX DOLLARS AND FIFTY TWO FUCKING CENTS!!!!!! The charges were placed by Ingles, (a grocery chain) in Hendersonville, NC. I lived west of Asheville back then; I don't know if I ever wrote a check to Ingles for SIX DOLLARS AND FIFTY TWO FUCKING CENTS but even if I did I sure never knew "at the time that he/she did not have sufficient funds on deposit or credit with the bank with which to pay the check on presentation", as the charges state.
A couple things really suck about this, and none of them include the fact that this is over SIX DOLLARS AND FIFTY TWO FUCKING CENTS. First off, is that it is Hendersonville, which is six hours from me. So to contest it (and I am) I have to go all the way there. Second off, is that this is 13 years old. Isn't there some statute of limitations? Hell, I could have probably mugged someone back then and not have to worry now. Third, I have no idea if the check was actually written by me. My wife at the time and I had a joint account, hell...she could have written it. I don't have the check to verify it's validity. This blows chunks.
The total the state wants is $211.52. That includes a $25 processing fee, $180 in court costs, and SIX DOLLARS AND FIFTY TWO FUCKING CENTS. I don't think it's right that I should simply send the money in lieu of court, because if I do, I'm admitting guilt and I have a record, even if it is a misdemeanor. Every time I fill out an application that asks "have you been convicted" I will have to check "yes". That blows.
By the way, I asked the magistrate why I wasn't arrested before now...I had been pulled over recently enough. He told me that NC is updating their records system and computers so now all these old warrants are known to everyone. Bright side, I was pulled over during the day in a town where I was able to call someone to come pick me up and take me back to my car. I could have been in East Kapeepie at 3am, standing outside a dark courthouse. All over SIX DOLLARS AND FIFTY TWO FUCKING CENTS.
After a very uncomfortable car ride (at least they let me ride up front) I was taken in front of the magistrate and presented with a warrant from June 6th, 1999. This warrant was for a worthless check...written for total of SIX DOLLARS AND FIFTY TWO FUCKING CENTS!!!!!! The charges were placed by Ingles, (a grocery chain) in Hendersonville, NC. I lived west of Asheville back then; I don't know if I ever wrote a check to Ingles for SIX DOLLARS AND FIFTY TWO FUCKING CENTS but even if I did I sure never knew "at the time that he/she did not have sufficient funds on deposit or credit with the bank with which to pay the check on presentation", as the charges state.
A couple things really suck about this, and none of them include the fact that this is over SIX DOLLARS AND FIFTY TWO FUCKING CENTS. First off, is that it is Hendersonville, which is six hours from me. So to contest it (and I am) I have to go all the way there. Second off, is that this is 13 years old. Isn't there some statute of limitations? Hell, I could have probably mugged someone back then and not have to worry now. Third, I have no idea if the check was actually written by me. My wife at the time and I had a joint account, hell...she could have written it. I don't have the check to verify it's validity. This blows chunks.
The total the state wants is $211.52. That includes a $25 processing fee, $180 in court costs, and SIX DOLLARS AND FIFTY TWO FUCKING CENTS. I don't think it's right that I should simply send the money in lieu of court, because if I do, I'm admitting guilt and I have a record, even if it is a misdemeanor. Every time I fill out an application that asks "have you been convicted" I will have to check "yes". That blows.
By the way, I asked the magistrate why I wasn't arrested before now...I had been pulled over recently enough. He told me that NC is updating their records system and computers so now all these old warrants are known to everyone. Bright side, I was pulled over during the day in a town where I was able to call someone to come pick me up and take me back to my car. I could have been in East Kapeepie at 3am, standing outside a dark courthouse. All over SIX DOLLARS AND FIFTY TWO FUCKING CENTS.
o' the law.
There's gotta be a limitation on this shit. 
