I was given a pink summons, 240.20 1, after first being given double parking ticket. ?
Question:
In NYC, on Lexington Ave in front of my building, I had quickly loaded rental car and took baggage trolley about 20 ft back into lobby. Took maybe 6 seconds at most. Guard on door, yelled, "your're getting a ticket. Female officer, "I'm just doing my job". Me, "There was nowhere to park as all the yellow cabs park in the muni meters as they all come here for the Indo Pak cheap food places. I wasn't gone from the car, (jersey plates on the rental) but 6 seconds. Male cop gets out of car and stands there with me and female cop. Me, "This is just another way for the city to get money". Never curse, get violent or anything on my part or theirs. Female cop goes to put tic under windshield wiper, I say, "Don't put it under there, just give it here" thinking I could then walk around the passenger side of my car, they would pull away and I would then have the tick in hand already and get in car and start my long ride to VA where my elderly parents, my mom with a brain tumor live. Female officer doesn't answer my request, having already put tick under wiper, and then says, CAN I GET IN MY CAR? Before I can move, step back or even answer, as we were all standing close together, the male officer says, "DO U HAVE ANY WARRANTS" I was astonished as I am 57 yrs old and never have had anything like that. He then says, "Give me your ID and wait in the car". The whole time, my doorman/guard at the building sees this whole thing and even comes out, standing out in the cold on the sidewalk while they were in their car and I was waiting for "god knows what". They didn't tell me why they had asked if I had a warrant or anything. I told them, at that point, "Look I'm sorry, I just need to get on the road to my 83 year old mother, who has a brain tumor"...true fact, not made up. She had diagnosis at 82 along with breast cancer and had 6 wks radiation.
Male officer comes back, doesn't say what the pink tick is for, just hands it thru the window and drives off.
Should I hire a lawyer to go with me? it is cheaper to just plead guilty to verbal whatever and pay a fine? (More money for the city from me who is now on disability and trying to deal with aging parents)
Any answers appreciated. Many thanks. Oh, and the court apperance date is March 17, 2008, the date that many cops of course will be out having a "good time" on St. Paddy's Day in NYC. The attitude of both of the cops was appalling and in all my 30 years living in NYC I've never been treated by an officer the way I was yesterday.
Answer:
mail in a not guilty, show up tell your story, the police will not show and it will be dismissed, bring evidence of your trip, and mothers condition etc... come prepared to court. this is why I moved out of NY... I live in fla. now ... I even got my own parking spot. no more alt. side parking 4 me!!!! yippie.
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