A FBF is upset a woman was charged with only a misdemeanor after leaving her grandchild in the car alone while she ran from police. “Tell me where this is right,” he wrote. “Fleeing and Alluding alone is a felony.”  I notice my comment was sharp and sounded snarky: “If folks would stop pretending they know the law they would stop getting others riled up. Sure some stuff seems unfair but you don’t know the law, you don’t know the statutes, you don’t know the final charges, you don’t know the guidelines. I was in criminal law for 22 years, with all due respect most people who quote the law on FB sound like they get their info off TV shows.”   

He replied, “She fled from law enforcement, that’s just a start, and you must not have been very good at CRIMINAL Law Are u saying Fleeing and Alluding are not felonies?”

I responded, “No need to get mean, you just made my case: she wasn’t charged with a felony, she didn’t meet criteria for “fleeing to elude” altho you assumed she should have been. Her charges included DWLS, resisting arrest without violence, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Since the officer was there to take care of the baby, it’s not felony child neglect. Sure, what she did was horrible but my point is for people to stop pretending they know the law and getting other people riled up about it. Why even mention fleeing to elude if that’s not what she’s charged with? Do you even know the elements of a F/E charge or the Fla Statute governing it? Chill, really, we’re all in this together.” (F.S. 316.1935 pertains to fleeing in a vehicle.)

I came off as snarky, so he naturally responded with the same. He missed the point that he was the one making untrue statements as if he knew the law. For instance, I knew immediately it wouldn’t be a fleeing to elude charge since the woman fled on foot. The laws are very specific but few take the time to read them. It’s easier to repeat something they heard on Judge Judy, Law and Order or Miami Vice.

I’m attracting this since I’m scheduled for jury duty next month. A reminder that despite what is being said on the record, what sticks in the jury’s mind will be filtered thru every crime drama and court tv show they’ve ever watched.

I can never assume I know. I make it a point to look stuff up so I don’t spread misinformation.