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However, one Orange County lawyer who asked not to be identified because of possible harm to clients, told of a person with a long felony rap sheet who was offered and accepted the DA's deal to pay $75, give a DNA sample and go free.
In another case, the lawyer said someone who had a doctor's certificate to use medical marijuana was arrested but didn't have the physical certificate and therefore was charged with possession.
Normally, the lawyer said, such defendants simply take the certificate to court and the district attorney would move to dismiss the case. But in this instance, according to the lawyer, the DA's office insisted on the defendant agreeing to offer a DNA sample, which the defendant obliged.
GrantedBail
reply to post by benrl
It is voluntary but very coercive. Pay a whole bunch of money and have a ding on your record OR pay 75$ for the collection of your DNA and have your case dismissed.
There are people for the purposes of their driver's or professional licenses that will opt for the DNA/Dismissal. Also those that can't afford the fines. And in California they have added crazy penalty assessments that go straight to the state. I can't remember exactly what the Judge said but it was like 600% of the fine.
So if your fine was say 368$ normally, the State of California adds on these assessments that turns your fine into like 1200$. Or something like that. Now this is not for regular traffic tickets. This is for misdemeanor offenses.
GrantedBail
reply to post by benrl
Wow. Did we have to make it about state politics? Our governor just vetoed that gun control bill. We have the 13th biggest economy in the world. Where is there better weather than in Southern California. We pay taxes but we do have excellent infrastructure for the most part.
I don't get the big hard on for California people have.
Maybe it is because they can't afford to live here??edit on 22-10-2013 by GrantedBail because: (no reason given)
GrantedBail
reply to post by benrl
What is not smart about living in California. I don't get it. I have lived here all of my life and do not understand that philosophy.
This was in Southern California.