Legal Question in Criminal Law in New Jersey

Charged with extortion but police never produced the tape as evidence

I live in Israel was arrested in April 2004 after I told my brother in law in a coffee shop that if he didn't give the money he and his brother stole from the family estate- I would go to the police. He had made some type deal with the police who secretly recorded the conversation and arrested and charged me with extortion. After months of communications with the Gloucester County Prosector's Office- I was told the police tape that was made was ''unaudible'' and that the charges would be reduced to harrassment. I was never notified of this- nor received any official date of my court appearence in Glocester Municipal Court. Two days before the scheduled court appearance- by coincidence- I phoned the court to find out when the date of my court appearance would be- and was told it was the following day. I send a letter to the judge in charge- as instructed by the clerk on the phone- telling him I was not notified of my date in court which was January 5th, 2005. A month laterI received official communication from the court telling me that since I did not show up in court- my $10,000 bond which was put up by a bondsman would be forfeited.

Does the court not have to inform me in a reasonable time before I am to appear in court?


Asked on 2/04/05, 7:15 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Gary Moore Gary Moore Attorney At Law

Re: Charged with extortion but police never produced the tape as evidence

You sound as though you have not hired an attorney;you need to. The court can anything it wants if there is no one to knowledgeably oppose improper conduct on its part. You are entitled to proper notice of a scheduled court appearance.

Gary Moore, Esquire

Hackensack, New Jersey

800 273 7933

www.garymooreattorneyatlaw.com

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Answered on 2/04/05, 7:42 am


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