HELP! Is this arson?

[KooperSmith]

Yesterday, the 30th of May, I had a party with 3 of my friends. we wanted to have some good clean incendiary fun, so I brought a tennis ball, some Sterno, and a bottle of kerosene. We walked down to the elementary school, hopped the fence there which guards a construction site adjacent to it. I saturated the tennis ball in sterno-gas mixture, and then put some kerosene on it. I lit it, and then kicked it in order to make a fireball. The tennis ball went out right before it hit the ground. But where I lit it, there was a fire, so we started to stomp on it to stop it. It was burning very quickly, due to the dryness of the grass. *STUPID CHOICE* I noticed it was dry, but my friends still wanted to see this. We couldn't stop the fire, and It was quickly moving to the street and towards the school. The flames were very high, and was making a buttload of smoke. THANK GOD A COP WAS COMING BY! He called the fire department, and an arson investigator gave me a Miranda warning, and basically interrogated me in front of the street and my friends. He said he is going to file this as an arson even though I may not be tried for it. Its up to the prosecutor. is this arson? Or is it Reckless burning?

[Steve_TPF]

I'll be damned. There was actually a cop when you needed one? That's a first.

Whether it's arson is up to the prosecutor as you say. Speak to a lawyer. Fast.

[FerretBone]

Steve is right get a lawyer. I'm sure they will start with an arson charge, not reckless burning. So you can plea it down from arson to reckless burning. If the fire destroyed property they most likey will stick with the arson charge.

[KooperSmith]

Oh HELL! Our family makes about 3000 dollars a month from death benefits. My mom doesn't work at all, so getting a lawyer would be IMPOSSIBLE! What burned is some straw on the ground, and its a construction site that was stopped because of the crappy economy. Oh crap! I am done for! I hope the prosecutor is nice!

[bloodlusta]

$3000 a month!!! thats huge! Thats nearly 3 times more than what I UED to be earning! How much do lawyers charge in your country?

(btw $3000US a month is $72,000NZ a year, the average wage is $30,000 a year)

[shetlan]

Originally Posted by KooperSmith

Oh HELL! Our family makes about 3000 dollars a month from death benefits. My mom doesn't work at all, so getting a lawyer would be IMPOSSIBLE! What burned is some straw on the ground, and its a construction site that was stopped because of the crappy economy. Oh crap! I am done for! I hope the prosecutor is nice!

All the prosecuter needs to do is prove than you where intentionally burning something that didn't belong to you - then it's arson. Your only way out is if they decide the damage isn't worth the cost to prosecute.

You'll get a public defender if they charge you.

[F_U_C_K]

i don't know how the system works in seattle, but i know that if that happened where i live (colorado) you would get arson. i recently got charged with arson. it sure as hell wasn't hard.

[KooperSmith]

Originally Posted by bloodlusta

$3000 a month!!! thats huge! Thats nearly 3 times more than what I UED to be earning! How much do lawyers charge in your country?

(btw $3000US a month is $72,000NZ a year, the average wage is $30,000 a year)

You got to remember that we have 4 people in our family. We get $36,000 per year.

I must be a MAJOR pussey because I am scared as hell to have a fine or go to prison. The damage I did was about 5 bucks, in straw, but its all going to go away because of the construction that will go over it!

[CHEVY_454_POWER]

Depending how old you are, you would go to a juvenile detention center or the county prison. Neither of which are like you see in the movies and are nothing to be scared of. Unless you are a known rapist or molester, but then you deserve to get your ring stretched a bit.

Fines do kind of suck. But just pay 5 bucks a month until you get a job. In my state, PA, you can still get off probation if you have fines left(I did it). However, if you don't pay, they send it to a collection agency (an extra 25% charge).

I would rather take a month or two in prison then paying the gov't outrageous fines and shit. You also have to remeber that they throw in a bunch of additional charges (Court dues, officer dues, constable dues. etc) and those add up.

Maybe you will get lucky, who knows.

Good luck, dress nice, and say yes sir or ma'm to the judge. It is called "respect" and they like it.


Chevy

[KooperSmith]

Ok! I will keep that in mind if i go talk to a judge. I am really honest and up front with everyone who is involved, so I hope that helps. Also, 2 months for a 14 year old is AWFUL! Thats the whole summer, but its better than having to pay a couple 1000 bucks!

[bloodlusta]

juvenile detention center for 2 months is not that bad, the time goes pretty quickly. Just keep your nose clean and try not to get into any groups and don't let anyone know what kind of family you come from or what you did to get in there.

[Sniper23]

I always thought that if you couldnt afford a lawyer one would be appointed to you?? Maybe im mistaken if so it prob will not be a good lawyer but still a lawyer for your defense.

[Paranoid Ecstasy]

Well it's all up to the courts as already stated.

Originally Posted by KooperSmith

I noticed it was dry, but my friends still wanted to see this.

You lit a fire near an elementary school, on dry grass. How could you not think this would go bad? You're lucky noone got hurt. You deserve whatever you get, maybe you'll learn your lesson.

[Fayle]

2 months is not much at all, i had six months because of some graffiti. This country is going downhill fast. Be upfront about everything and DO NOT LIE they will find out one way or another. Reckless burning is not real they say it is but everything is classified as arson when you intentionally light an object on fire not on your property or for the wrong reasons.

Just explain what you told us and your fine.

Juvy is WAY better than probation. 2 months in juvy or 2 years probation. Your choice.

Pay everything off asap.

[JOECRAZYKID]

one thing that will help a lot is act kind of retarded, thats what i did when i got caught with a stolen go kart my buddy sold me, i just played stupid and the owner didn't press any charges against me.

[Pikkle Juice]

arson charges are pretty serious i have one and i hate it but the judge will keep in mind that your 14 and you didnt run when you saw the cop plus the respect thing really works judges love brown nosing

[CanadianPyro]

1st lesson: Don't do stupid shit.
2nd lesson: If you must do stupid shit, don't do it in public view.

Doing stupid shit in public view presents you with little opportunity to escape if trouble arises. You were playing with fire in an elementary school field in (presumably) broad daylight. This is asking to be seen, reported, and arrested.

The prosecutor probably won't bother prosecuting you unless you caused damage to something of importance, such as a building or section of forest. Based on your description of the events, it sounds as if you did neither, so you'll probably get off with a warning.

[anomalia]

If it took place at night, you really should've run when the cop was coming. They're not superheroes. In fact, most of them in my city are pretty out of shape.
But, yeah, as CanadianPyro said, you probably won't be charged if all you did was burn a patvh of the lawn.

[JOECRAZYKID]

have you been to court yet or not?