Written by: Norma Jean Almodovar, Executive Director, COYOTE LA/SC
WHAT IF I DON'T SHOW UP AT MY ARRAIGNMENT?
Unless you gave them a false name when they arrested you and they have no way to find you again, it is wise to show up at your arraignment.
WHAT KIND OF LAWYER DO I NEED AND WHAT WILL HE OR SHE DO FOR ME? HOW MUCH WILL THEY CHARGE ME?
For a prostitution, pandering or pimping charge, you will need a criminal lawyer. As I said earlier, it is best to have a lawyer with experience handling these kinds of cases, or someone with enthusiasm for this cause. You have a right to know what is going on with your case at all times. If your lawyer won't give you a straight answer, keep after them until you know exactly where you stand. If your attorney uses language to explain your case to you that you don't understand, insist that they tell you so that you do understand everything that is going on.
The court must notify your attorney of anything that is important to your case, so don't worry that the police or the court can do anything to you without letting your attorney know first.
IF THEY HAVE ME ON TAPE, DO I HAVE A CHANCE TO FIGHT THE CASE OR SHOULD I JUST PLEAD GUILTY?
As we discussed earlier, pleading guilty and getting a probation sentence can be a very bad thing, so, I suggest you demand that it go to trial. If the court is overloaded with cases, the city attorney or district attorney is not going to want to waste valuable court time and will try to get you to plea bargain. If you insist on going to trial, they may just throw the case out altogether. (You can't count on this, of course, but, it often happens.)
HOW TO DEAL WITH A HIGH PROFILE CASE - THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
If you are unfortunate enough to get arrested at a time when there is a spotlight on prostitution (such as during television ratings periods like February, May, September and November) or if your case is unusual and would likely cause the media to be interested in your case, there are things you should know about what can happen to you and how you can fight back. If the media picks up on your case and flashes your name and perhaps even home address on the television screen, you will find your whole life will be altered- if not forever, then for some time to come. It is traumatic to have your privacy shattered for the sake of television or newspaper ratings, but the journalist who calls attention to your case to the public will not be concerned for your welfare. Even though prostitution is against the law to protect women from being exploited, you will find that there are few reporters who care about protecting your rights. They figure that if you were involved in an illegal or sexually explicit business, you have given up your rights to privacy and protection.
ALL THIS SOUNDS AWFUL . . . IS THERE ANY WAY TO PROTECT MYSELF FROM GETTING ARRESTED?
To be honest with you, if the police want to arrest you, no matter what you do or say or don't say, they can and will arrest you. The charges might very well get thrown out of court or never get filed at all, but you will probably end up spending money to defend yourself even if it goes nowhere. And not to mention you may have some explaining to do to your family and friends if your arrest makes the eleven o'clock news. When it comes to men and women in whatever branch of the sex industry, society would prefer not to know if the police are violating your rights. They figure the police wouldn't have arrested you in the first place if you weren't doing something illegal. So, it is up to you to take an aggressive posture and fight for your rights.
IF LITTLE BELLS START GOING OFF IN YOUR HEAD - LISTEN TO THEM DON'T EVER TALK ABOUT SEX AND MONEY AND IF HE INSIST UPON GETTING YOU TO DISCUSS A SEX ACT GET UP AND LEAVE IMMEDIATELY. IF HE IS VISITING YOU, TELL HIM HE HAS OFFENDED YOU AND ASK HIM TO LEAVE AT ONCE. |
