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Pre-sentencing

Interview with Jen, Kelsey, Charlize and Cody

JM: Tell us about the pre-sentencing process:
Jen: I found the whole thing was quite exhausting and life draining. The police arrested me and I never had my rights read to me. The case title was changed several times, and I never really quite knew what my charges were. I was confused and tired of the whole ordeal
Kelsey: I had to wait 2-3 weeks to go to court. First step is Arraignment....wait....second step is Preliminary .... wait.... Bound Over To Superior? wait ....Arraignment in Superior Court .... wait .... Prelim in Superior Court ....wait... Confirmation Hearing ...wait... Jury Selection .... wait .... Jury Trial .... Guilty! .... wait.... Sentencing .... wait .... PASS GO, DO NOT COLLECT $200!
Charlize: Didnt have one was arrested and booked
Cody: I was pulled out of my tank in Main Jail at 8 AM and taken to a holding cell. After about an hour I was taken by van to Bob Wiley's Detention Facility for arraignment. I was in a holding cell all day until about 5:30 PM when I was finally taken to court. The whole thing lasted about 5 minutes and I had absolutely no clue what had just happened because my lawyer just left without really explaining everything. I didn't get back to Main Jail until 7 PM.

JM: Did you have police stop by your house for questioning? If not please give us details on how you came to be arrested.
Jen: Yes, the police came by to speak with me. I ended up going in to speak to a detective.
Kelsey: FRESNO COUNTY: Once, I heard I had a warrant, while putting in gas at night the cops surrounded me & took me in. I didn't stay home (lived with parents) because I didn't want them to upset my people. BOTH FRESNO & TULARE COUNTY: MANY other times I got busted at the scene. Drug addict doing "petty" crime
Charlize: My boyfriend was driveing and he ran i was later being put in the back of cop car. Three somewhat hours later i was told i was being arrested. I had asked for what i wasnted given an answer til an hour and a half so there was a warrant for my arrest and i never been arrested before. I was told by some legal advice thats considered false imprisonment.
Cody: I overdosed and fell unconscious in the parking lot of a liquor store.An ambulance was called and barely kept me from dying. I woke up handcuffed to a bed in the hospital. A police officer had gone through my back pack and was waiting to take me to jail. After they treated me at the hospital I was arrested for possession.

JM: What was court like? Please give as many details as you recall.
Jen: The DA was most intending on putting me away for as long as she could; even though I had never been in serious trouble ever before. I wore plain clothes, and never spoke to the judge. I only spoke to the public defender. Who by the way I felt he did a poor job in defending me.
Kelsey: TULARE COUNTY: From the streets, going to court is kind of nerve wrecking because you don't know if you will walk out. Too many times either I got taken in from court or people I went with to court. From jail, going to court sucks because you get woken up at dark thirty to get transported to the main jail. But even then, it's all about more waiting... sitting in the holding cell to get taken to the downtown holding cell. Then, waiting to go to the holding cell behind your courtroom. Sometimes you don't get back to your cell until night! So, to go in front of the judge for five minutes, you gotta wait HOURS!
Charlize: I never went before a judge.
Cody: By the time I had a court date I had been moved to Bob Wiley's Pre- Trial Facility. They pulled me out of my cell and shackled me up at around 4:00 AM. From there I was taken to holding cell for several hours, and then taken by a van that had a weird steel cage inside that was EXTREMELY claustrophobic. It was pretty bad. I was returned to Main Jail and walked through the underground tunnel to the courthouse and taken up an elevator to a back hallway where everyone waited. I was then taken with everyone else into an empty courtroom to wait. Eventually my lawyer showed up and explained what was going to happen, and how I should plead. Then they let in family/public and the judge came in. I was the first one up because of my laywer. I was released on O.R. and returned to Pre-Trial for a few more hours.

JM: What were your original charges? What did you end up being convicted of?
Kelsey: I currently have almost 20 petty thefts, which include petty with prior convictions. When I started getting busted for petty thefts (1980's) you got drug diversion or probation. There was like 3 different probations, 1. Summary: send in monthly forms; 2. Bench: report to Probation Dept. (usually for urine tests); and 3. Formal: Probation comes to you! Original charges varied from Petty Theft and Commercial Burglary and ended up with either Petty or Petty with Prior. Other charges have been theft related. Bottom line: Initial charges are usually greater than conviction charges. They start high....
Charlize: My charges were conspiracy, trafficing marajuana and possesion of meth.
Cody: I plead guilty to one count Felony Possession of Hydrocodone, two counts of Under The Influence Of A Controlled Substance, and violating probation.

Read about sentencing in the Tulare County Jail