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juicyfruitmama · Jun 8, 2008, 05:51 PM

Hi everyone,

Just a brief summary of what transpired:

Last Dec. my boyfriend went 'manic' and ended up stealing (what police say and charged him for theft over $5,000) from his aunt.

His aunt had given him keys to her place that day. She knew he was acting sort of strangely but never thought he'd end up stealing from her. Unfortunately, bipolars off their medication and who have a substance abuse problem will do that if they don't have any money.

He wasn't diagnosed with bipolar until AFTER his arrest.

Doctors kept on maintaining over the years that he was 'manic depressive' (a milder form of bipolar, but if you are mis-medicated, it could be a recipe for disaster).

After the theft, he ended up turning himself into the police... within 3-4 hours of committing the crime. Needless to say, the police were SHOCKED because they thought for sure he'd run.

My b-friend indicated that he had a moment of clarity and realized what he did and felt so awful, he needed to turn himself in. Because of that, he stayed in jail for about 4 weeks.

He was released and immediately thereafter went and tried to commit suicide out of guilt. He then went into a psych ward for 2 weeks and then was released to to his mum and stepfather.

I wasn't dating my bfriend at the time this happened (we met at the end of January)... he was clean for a month at that time and trying to get his life together. I found out about all this stuff within a month dating him.

He was put on different bipolar medication plus an antidepressant that he had been taken for years previous, but the doctor failed to realize the anti-depressant actually made his bipolar worse!

As a result, he ended up stopping his meds, started to do drugs again and disappeared for 4 days in March. He again tried to commit suicide (half-heartedly... as he really wanted help and didn't know how else to get it) and went again to a psych ward for a month. Doctors there started him on a better medication regimene and he decided to go to a Christian recovery centre to handle the addiction part of this.

During all this time, his aunt, though hurt that he violated her privacy and stole from her has forgiven him and wants to drop the charges, but she's been told it's too late and he has to show up for his court case in October.

She's (and me) really worried that he's going to be convicted and sentenced to jail for a few years. He has a minor history of being in jail (for minor infractions... but nothing serious... night here... a few weeks there... ) --- It seems from what I gather from his family and friends as a result of his 'manic' phases of his bipolar. Keep in mind again, he wasn't diagnosed until this past Dec, so he's had a colourful history but nothing serious since the age of 19.

He's now making every effort to turn his life around through being committed in the recovery centre (he's been there for almost 6 weeks now) and to take his bipolar medication for the rest of his life, while seeking treatment etc...

NOW... my question: After reading all the above, would anyone think that a judge would be lenient on my boyfriend based on the facts above? Do you think it would help if I planned to testify on his behalf? His auntie who was forced to charge him for theft over $5,000 (so that she could get things replaced) also wants to testify ON his behalf...

Also, IS it impossible for someone to drop charges once they have charged someone? What if they (like his aunt) changes her mind? Can she drop the charges to something lesser?

Any advice would really help. Thanks so much for reading.

Ps. I'm writing from BC, Canada so the laws may be a little different than the US. Thanks. :)

Fr_Chuck · Jun 8, 2008, 05:55 PM

No, they will see a drug addict who robbed from his aunt, And NO only the DA can drop the charges, And only the DA by working with this boys lawyer can work out a lower deal

And sorry but 6 weeks doing better will not mean a lot to the judge yet.

juicyfruitmama · Jun 8, 2008, 05:59 PM

Hi Fr_Chuck:

He's there for 6 weeks so far, but his court date is in October (almost a year after he was charged!). So, by that time, he'll have been in his rehabilitation (I HOPE) for 6 months +.

Which is a good sign right?

Fr_Chuck · Jun 8, 2008, 06:06 PM

If he behaves and stays out of trouble yes, that can be bought up at the sentencing hearing. And the victim can make a statement at sentencing, so the aunt can ask for the lightest sentence.

But honestly, they need to have it all a done deal before the court date, normally less than 10 percent of cases actually go to trial, they are all taken care of though a plea bargain.