Is this Criminal Harassment? Help please.

My grandfather passed away last year and as he had warned and expected, some family members were jealous of the inheritance I received but there was no way to anticipate to which extent they would try and make my life miserable.

One of his daughters kept calling and asking him about his bank accounts, then he asked me to look at some of his banks statement to help him figure some stuff and to my surprise I realized that she had opened all of his banks accounts as joint accounts! Now all this was bad enough but while he was in the ICU they went off to take measurement on a piece of property they claimed they had paid for. When I learned of this I kept my cool and told them that what-ever his wishes that we could sit down and go over everything.

Then the threats started as soon as the Will was read, it was pretty much "either give us the land and money or we will do everything in our power to harm you and your family". They, foolishly enough, left such threats on my answering machine; either give them money or they'd call social services and tell them that I wasn't able to care for my child, which they did. I had to deal with so much bull# it's crazy.

So after a month of threatening phone calls I called the cops, they gathered the evidence they needed and decided to prosecute for Criminal Harassment. The court date was set and everything was moving forward but at the last very moment the prosecutor decided to drop the case, some officers believed that he thought there was no case when he found out she had MS.

Since then things haven't gotten any better. I moved to a new city looking for a fresh start but that aunt is unrelenting. She called every single neighbor up and down the street at my old home which I am currently renting. She called every single one of my friends she could think of and keeps calling them up. She even filled up my lawyer's answering machine with pleas and threats.

Problem is that I work with the public and this bad reputation is damaging to my business. She certainly isn't holding back with her rumors about both my family and I, knowingly trying to destroy my image. My girlfriend just landed a very good job and I'm also worried she will find out and start calling there. Latest threats included wanting to bring me to court for allegedly having beaten my grandfather and also if I did not give her the money, she would find a way to have my girlfriend and my child murdered. Unfortunately, I don't have that last one on the machine.

So I'm hoping that someone can help me figure out why they still haven't prosecuted her? I cannot believe that this is legal? Are we really allowed to harass people to that extent? It's to the point that I cannot even live in my own house and have to move hundreds of miles away just to try and have a normal. Who is protecting my freedoms?

Sue her and take her to court. Just go small claims. Or, better yet take her to Judge Judy and she'll rip her a new one. Go to Judge Judy's website, put in your story and I'll bet her producers will give you a call.

The only thing dumber than getting legal advice from ATS is perhaps asking for medical advice.
But to answer your question, yes, and you would be wise to speak with an attorney. Good luck.

reply to post by AnonymousCitizen


My lawyer got me in touch with one of her colleagues that work in that criminal field or whatever but she said it was a criminal case and it was up to the cops to charge her with that, not me personally.

I should mention that I am Canadian. I only talked to the city cops and am considering bringing this to the RCMP.

reply to post by Cocasinpry


A friend of ours recently passed away from cancer. His present girlfriend (who he broke it off with started up again) was the only person who would help him day to day. She took an indefinite leave of absence (up to two years) from her job with the police, gave up $160k worth of salary over the two years, I think she hit 22 months when he passed away. She was with him every day and every night, she cleaned his colostomy bag, she bathed him, she cooked for him, cleaned for him, ran his errands, took him to the hospital and doctors, monitored him 24/7 and she held when he was upset.

That takes a lot out of a person to trade that much energy, just to try and keep someone you care about from losing it as they approaching the end. Our friend's son and daughter never bothered with him, treated him crap. Well, the daughter showed up the last week while he was in palliative care, kudos to her huh?

When he passed his kids and ex-girlfriend (the one before the one taking care of him) went batsh*t and assumed they were "entitled." They started taking stuff out of the house, tried to access bank accounts, tried to sell property, etc. Well, he had left everything, houses, accounts, motorcycles, skidoos and ATV's, boats and really nice RV's, cars and trucks to the one person who had stood by him the last two years till the end, his present girlfriend. His son, daughter and ex-girlfriend didn't like that much and have been dogging her on-line, trying to get her charged with made up stuff and have also personally attacked her for the last 6 months. It's disgusting. The man on his exit wanted what he wanted, that's it, that's all and he should get what he wanted.

Last I heard, the present girlfriend was pursuing legal remedies and since she works for the police, it may give her a slight advantage in getting this prosecuted. But yes, it's criminal harassment and uttering threats. You might want to check and see if your local prosecutor has been bought off or is related somehow. Carry a tape recorder or a cell phone with a recording app (Droid Record, etc) wherever you go, it may save your life, it may save you a ton of money and grief.

People can be real scum, it just reminds me of vultures picking over a corpse.

Cheers - Dave

reply to post by bobs_uruncle


I relate so much to what you wrote, that is exactly how it was with my grandfather. The week before he went in the ICU he was ill at home, I brought him to the clinic and did what I could but with my girlfriend was pregnant and I needed some help. I called my Aunt, the one that is losing it on me today and had to yell at her on the phone just so she would come over to help. She cooked him a steak and left without bringing him to the hospital, "I just don't have the time" is what she said.

My grand mother left my grand father over a dozen years ago... she left him a broken man and even if we were far from being on good terms I helped him out. This proud man who had never had to ask for anything in his life told me that none of his children were going to help him and that if I didn't help he would have to move out of his home. And so I moved in the apartment upstairs and for nearly 15 years took care of him. He became the father I never had; we were best friends. I still have so much respect for the man I cannot understand how his children could ignore him and treat him that way.

I really can't understand how some people can be so... evil.

This shows you the importance of a good legal last will & testament an an executor/executrix who is smart enough to handle the distribution of the estate. You also need a power of attorney. Planning ahead can mean everything in the event of a problem. I;ve had it both ways and the difference is night and day.

reply to post by Cocasinpry


Sometimes a very simple line will stop these people (unless they're psychopathic). Ask them, "why are you so angry?" Get them to explain it. Chances are they aren't mad at you, they are jealous or envious that you took the time to do the right thing. They can't be mad at the person who has passed, they also did the right thing because it is what they wanted. What it comes down to is redirected anger, they are mad at themselves for not showing the compassion they should have, for not taking the time to connect. By misdirecting their anger they are not learning that it is far better to show you care and help when you can for no reason other than for the sake of the act itself. We are all connected, when we help each other we help ourselves.

Cheers - Dave

reply to post by Cocasinpry


This is 100% criminal harassment . Most likely harassment in the first degree, a class B misdemeanor, occurs when the defendant's conduct results in a victim being placed in reasonable fear of physical injury. The maximum penalty is three months' incarceration and a year's probation.

Second-Degree Aggravated Harassment is a class A misdemeanor and can occur in several ways. Someone who communicates or attempts to communicate with another person with the intention of causing alarm or annoyance faces a charge of second-degree aggravated harassment. It may also be charged if the defendant applies physical force because of a person's race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability or sexual orientation. In addition, second-degree aggravated harassment occurs whenever a defendant is convicted of first-degree harassment for the second time in a 10-year period. A conviction can mean up to a year's incarceration and three years' probation.

These are all based on New York State law. Please refer to your states laws on harassment if these do not apply to you. Good luck and be sure to document everything! If they call you a bunch of times a day there is a law against that as well.

reply to post by Irish614


Thank you, I tried looking it up but came up with no much at all but that definitely helps, I can't imagine the laws here being all that different. I'll try looking it up again.

reply to post by bobs_uruncle


Yeah, I already figured that out.

The same thing happened last year when my grand mother fell ill. When she left my grand father there is nothing her and some of her sisters say to make her feel bad. That she molested me as a child, that she had sexual intercourse with the priest and so much more. This went on up until she collapsed from meningitis, at 84 years old.

I remember being in the ICU with all these same evil people around her crying, unable to leave her side. But their tears weren't just for her but for themselves and their regrets. Now the aunt that is torturing me, the one that was the most vicious with both my grandparents visits her everyday at the home where she is. She was looking for forgiveness but she realizes that there was no way my grandmother could be lucid enough to actually give it to her.

Of course now she's back to her evil ways, trying to make her sign documents that would never pass in court, trying to convince her to somehow try and get what she wants from me through her. What hurts the most is that I know that my grand mother would want me to save her from that, to protect her like she did with me, but I am powerless.

They're already living their own hell which they created and they just keeping on stabbing themselves in the heart. I don't know how they cannot see that.