3 posts shown.
ruggedcanyon2 said:I’ve seen it happen—you show up to the District Court, and the judge doesn't even bother listening to the evidence against you. They just throw you in and say, "I don't think there's enough physical evidence to prove the defendant is guilty, so I move to dismiss the indictment." Maybe it could have been phrased a bit more professionally, but that's basically what you get from them. 😁 Honestly, it’s probably better to research who to ask for advice and just handle your own defense; you'll likely have more success that way. 👍
PS: You can only get a public defender if you're facing actual criminal charges.
I already paid for another legal proceeding and I am not spending another cent, even though I wasn't planning on it anyway.
Unless they try to prosecute us for a criminal offense.
Has anyone here actually dealt with those court-appointed attorneys before?
Since I was one of the people who ended up behind bars in Milan during the Italy vs USA National Soccer Team match,
I’m reaching out here because I’m facing a bit of a dilemma and could use some advice.
I’ve already hired an attorney, and my court date is coming up soon. The legal system here in Italy operates quite differently than it does back home in the States, and on top of that, they are treating this as a criminal matter.
The case isn't actually targeting individuals; instead, they are charging us as a group.
They don't have any actual evidence against me—my arrest was completely random.
After the game, they took us to a basic holding area under the stadium and had security guards perform a lineup.
Not a single guard could identify us, though there was a camera in that room.
However, the file includes a statement from a Ukrainian security guard claiming he "thinks" we were part of that group.
My lawyer called me with three different options to move forward:
1. Plead guilty, pay a $500 fine, and wrap the whole thing up in a single hearing.
2. Go through two hearings where the judge decides the verdict ($800), which my lawyer insists will result in an acquittal since there is zero evidence.
3. Drag it out through four or five hearings by calling witnesses, which would cost between $1,200 and $1,300.
Because I’ve already spent so much money on legal fees, I simply can't afford to keep paying these high costs. I'm wondering what the procedure looks like if I reach a point where I can no longer afford to pay my attorney.