drinking in central park
May 12, 2005 1:34 PM   Subscribe

Has anyone ever gotten a ticket for drinking alcohol in a New York City Park? Is it any different a charge than for having an open container on the street? Should I get a lawyer??
posted by anonymous to Law & Government (10 answers total)
 
I would still hire you despite this heinous crime. You might start with the prosecutor's office first to see if there is some way to keep this off your record. Failing resolution there then see a lawyer. Before you invest too much, reread my first comment.
posted by caddis at 2:08 PM on May 12, 2005


You could get a lawyer to fight a ticket, or you could approximate the effect by wrapping the ticket in hundred dollar bills and lighting it on fire.

If you want to get a ticket dismissed, get a court date and then go in to the prosecutor's office on the day of your trial. If you're 1) not crazy, 2) polite, 3) well-dressed and 3) willing to mend your ways, then you can probably work something out. Prosecutors love nothing more than to get cases off their docket, and, for minor first-time offenses, you're likely to get charges dropped altogether.
posted by boaz at 2:18 PM on May 12, 2005


I'd love to know the circumstances under which you got this ticket. I can't count the number of times I've had alcohol in Central Park on the toes of mine, yours, and most of MeFi's feet and not gotten a ticket. What happened?
posted by papercake at 2:23 PM on May 12, 2005


A buddy of mine tells the following story:

Years ago, he was sitting on a curb in Queens with six of his friends. They were all smoking a large joint when a cop showed up. "I've gotta write you boys up," the cop said. "I'll need all of your names." So, one by one, the high and panicked boys stumble through the spelling of their names, trying to remember their addresses and social security numbers. After coaxing the information out of six of the intoxicated teenagers, the officer gets to the 7th and final person. "All right, what's your name, son?" the cop asks. Being too high to really know what's going on the last kid replies, "Rumplestiltskin!" The officer laughs so hard that he has to sit down in the street. He let them all go with a warning.

My advice, just pay the ticket. It's just a misdemeanor, right? Employers are really only interested in felonies. If you're under 18, this will disappear when you turn 18. If you're under 21, nobody in your future is really going to care that you were drinking in a park before you were old enough to go to a bar.

I mean, I got busted for smoking pot on federal property by federal police, years ago when I was 17. They didn't charge me and nothing has every come of it. After making a big stink about it, all they did was call my parents.

What's the worst that can happen? About a hundred bucks and a few hours of community service, right?
posted by Jon-o at 2:25 PM on May 12, 2005


IANAL, but I believe that ticket you got is a violation, rather than a crime. It's not even a misdemeanor. In fact, if I am not mistaken, this is a civil matter, NOT a criminal matter.

Pay your $100 fine, and don't stress about it.
posted by dersins at 3:00 PM on May 12, 2005


By the way, you may find this useful.
posted by dersins at 3:03 PM on May 12, 2005


I'd take Jon-o's comment with a grain of salt, because you can go to jail for what he mentions. When I was briefly in the can, I met plenty of people who got caught with little roaches.
So yeah Jon-o, you got lucky...
posted by hellbient at 6:04 PM on May 12, 2005


As dersins points out it is a violation. I am wondering if you were in a state park such as Riverbank State Park. NYS Park Police vigorously enforce the no alcohol in the park regulation.

When I was briefly in the can, I met plenty of people who got caught with little roaches.

Yes, because people in the can never lie. I know from firsthand experience that many police officers will not arrest someone for possessing merely a roach (a violation in NYS). Police officers will always arrest someone with a roach who is the subject of a warrant or has other drugs on him.
posted by mlis at 6:45 PM on May 12, 2005


Yes, the game has changed. During the late 70's and early 80's you would see people smoking dope in public everywhere, cabbies, kids in the park, peddlers in crowds, whatever. Then came the attack upon petty crime, (quality of life crimes according to the NYPD). Piss in the street, Rikers. Joint, Rikers. Rikers, Rikers, Rikers for whatever. Now, you had better watch out. However, I now feel a lot safer walking around the so so neighborhoods of the 70's.

Regardless of history, it seems you have been given a ticket for a civil offense, rather than a criminal offense. If so, it should matter not for future jobs, but nevertheless you might want to ask the prosecutor for some alternative that keeps it off your record.
posted by caddis at 6:51 PM on May 12, 2005


I got a ticket once for drinking in Central Park. The officers told our whole group just to take it to court, they weren't going to show up. And, from what I hear, they didn't.

I didn't bother going to court. And nothing has become of it.

But, if I were you, I'd just pay the fine. It's nothing serious. It's no worse than getting a ticket for having an open container on the street. At least, so far as I know. I wouldn't worry about it.
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 7:08 PM on May 12, 2005


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