It is now Sunday July 25th, and I was in bookings. I called both my employer and my sister to inform them of my entanglement with the law. These were one of the toughest phone calls I had to make. It was difficult because I knew everyone was worried about me and I couldn’t reassure them. Although, I was innocent, I couldn’t help but feel ashamed. I never thought something of that nature would happen to me.
After several hours in the jail cell, I received news that the gentleman who had been punched unconscious was now in the intensive care unit. A few hours later, I was brought into a room by some detectives. They asked me about my recollection of the night before. However, because I was still under shock, I didn’t remember everything from that night. This did not “play in my favor”.
During the interrogation, the detectives mentioned I was facing up to five years in prison, I was in complete disbelief. They also informed me that an eyewitness singled me out as being the attacker. Also, they had footage of me instigating the fight, possibly making this a gang-related incident. Knowing I was innocent, this was mentally brutal and extremely hard to cope with. After the questioning ended, I was sent back down to the cell. Only after more hours passed, I was taken to Department of Corrections. I spent the night in Corrections; a horrible night. I was not able to change my clothes, shower, or brush my teeth.
Now it’s Monday July 26th, and I’m anxiously waiting to be heard by a judge. Towards the end of the day, moments before meeting the judge, I finally met with my lawyer. The lawyer listened to my side of the story and believed me. He was able to identify evidence that would help establish my innocence. Thanks to his efforts, two days later, I was released without bail on July 26th. What allowed me to remain calm was knowing that my employer and my family were there to support me and do everything possible to help move my case along.
Days later, I met with my lawyer to give him more details of what happened that night. While my lawyer was working on gaining more evidence, I prepared for the worse. My mood and overall energy completely changed from being a happy-go-luck young man to someone who didn’t want to do anything.
I didn’t know who to speak to about how I felt because this was my first time experiencing such a process. I was under so much stress that I was scared to drive anywhere. My family and friends understood I needed time. My job understood my situation and was very supportive when it came to how I was feeling. I was fortunate enough to always have someone who was willing to listen to me and check on me from time to time.
This support system was crucial to my mental and physical wellbeing. My employer suggested that I jump back on the horse because the more time I was alone, the more this situation would have been eating away at me. Working was a great way to keep my mind clear.
Waiting for evidence to prove my innocence was hard for me. The uncertainty was weighting on me. However, my family and friends encouraged me to keep my faith in God. After some time, I was becoming myself again, but I didn’t do it all by myself. I give all my thanks to my family, my friends, my boss, and my lawyer for fighting for me in times I was defeated. I can’t thank them enough for everything. Six months later, my case was dismissed.