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Will it all work out okay?

By Jeff Terrill

Fort Wayne Reader

2018-08-18

Tim pretty much knows everything. He always has a plan. He’s a twenty-one-year-old college student.

Tim and some of his buddies road trip to the hometown of one of his friends from college. Tim drinks so much on Saturday night that he doesn’t remember much about the evening. According to the police reports, Tim becomes inebriated inside the bar and starts getting into verbal altercations with other patrons. (Tim isn’t a real person.)

Tim starts walking around downtown. He kicks over a trashcan. Tim sees a guy getting some money out of an ATM. Tim runs up behind the guy just as the cash is dispensed. Tim starts yelling a whole bunch of nonsensical things and the guy backs away. Tim grabs the money but then tries to give it to the guy. The guy wants nothing to do with Tim. Tim quickly hands the money over to three teenagers that he spots.

Unbeknownst to Tim, the man from the ATM calls 911 and explains that he’s just been robbed.

Minutes later, a police officer pulls up on Tim as he is urinating in the bushes in front of the library. The officer orders Tim to the ground. Tim starts to bend down but then takes off running. He jumps a low gate and heads down an alley. He can hear the officer yelling for him to stop. Tim’s drunk. He’s not running well and he has no idea where he’s going. Soon, another officer is ordering Tim down on the ground. His gun is pointed at Tim. Tim complies.

The officers get Tim into a squad car. On the way to the jail, Tim pleads with the officer to let him go. He informs the officer that he’s in college. Tim rambles on to the officer that his lawyer will get the charges dismissed or drug court or a deferred prosecution.

It’s been a few months since Tim’s arrest. Tim’s lawyer explains to Tim that the prosecutor is offering a final plea agreement for Tim to serve three years in prison on the robbery charge. In exchange, the prosecutor is willing to dismiss the charges of resisting law enforcement, disorderly conduct, criminal mischief and public nudity. Tim’s lawyer explains that another option is to go to trial.

Tim thought he’d have better options. He doesn’t know what to do.

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Jeff Terrill is a partner/shareholder with the law firm of Arnold Terrill Anzini, P.C. Mr. Terrill represents clients accused of crimes throughout northeast Indiana. You can contact Mr. Terrill with any questions or comments at his office at 260.420.7777 or via email at jterrill@fortwaynedefense.com. Learn more about his firm at www.fortwaynedefense.com. This article expressed opinions and observations of the author, is not intended as legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship between the author and the reader. Please consult a qualified attorney with any legal questions or issues you might have. Thank you.