| Re: Follow up on I received a traffic citation tonight.
>Therefore he said he couldn't really give any advice on how to handle
>my particular case, but he did advise me to look up the law concerning
>bicycles in Arkansas, and to plead not guilty when I come to court and
>present my case. Then he sent me a second email, which quoted the same
>law 27-49-111, which everyone else has cited.
I would interpret that as a green light to take it to court.
I'm not a cop or an attorney, but I am familiar with organizational
behavior. The officer's superiors are probably all ready aware that he
made an error in judgement, Jonesboro isn't that big that this is
going to be buried in the murder stats, IMHO. Given that you have
alerted every cyclist worldwide and have ties to the local power
structure, I wouldn't worry about pissing off the powers that be.
My best guess is that if you go to court the officer will either not
show, in which case the charge will likely be dismissed, or the officer
will be ordered to go to court, in which case the charge will be dismissed
and the officer will be publicly humiliated.
He's going to hate you either way, but hey, your cousin's a lawyer and
you ride with a district judge, so what's he going to do about it.
I would go to the wall with it all the way, considering the effort
you've all ready expended.
However, as your cousin suggested, it might be better to have the
charge quietly withdrawn. The net result will be a dissatisfied cyclist
and a dissatisfied young officer, but it will cost the taxpayers a lot
less and it might save you future problems.
Once that is accomplished you could invite him to a barbecue or
something just to show you have no hard feelings.
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