Late last year I was arrested in NJ and charged with driving an unregistered vehicle, driving with a suspended license, possession of a controlled substance (marijuana) and possession of paraphernalia (pipe). After a couple of hours in the local lockup, I was released on my own recognizance and given an initial court date a week later.

At the hearing, I requested and received a public attorney and an arraignment date was set.  When I contacted my attorney he asked me if I contested any of the charges and I told him that I did not. He told me that since I had no criminal record, he could try to work out a deal with the prosecutor.  I told him that would be fine.

A couple of days before the arraignment, I heard back from my lawyer and he told me that the prosecutor was willing to offer me an ACD which means an acquittal with consideration to dismiss. However, I would still have to pay an $800 fine and agree to one year of random drug testing. Otherwise, if I plead not guilty I was facing thousands of dollars in fines, up to one year in jail and a criminal record.

I did not know if I was guilty or not, so I asked the Lord what I should do . He told me to plead not guilty.  My lawyer had a different opinion but entered my plea and when my trial date was set for 01/11/11, he told me the date better be a sign from God.

The morning of the trial, my lawyer again asked me to take the ACD. I declined and handed him a copy of the below statement as my defense.  Unfortunately, he was not impressed and told me that I didn't have a prayer but nonetheless offered to submit it to the judge with a petition to dismiss. So that's what I did.

Long story short. Case dismissed.