Trends **UPDATED 7:50 PM:** Holy crap! Thank you for the outpour of support, everyone. I never thought posting this in an online community was going to reach the right eyes so quickly! I had written this on my lunch break and was completely blown away and brought to tears when I checked back in after work.
Several people reached out with helpful resources, including a litigator on Reddit who put me in contact with a colleague who practices in my state. Apparently there is precedent and people have won against the state although it did take several years.
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My intent was to answer more questions since I wasn't able to do that while at work. I was also going to post the website as that has been a popular request, however I've been told not to continue further discussions beyond what I have already posted if I wish to pursue a civil suit.
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Just a couple things I want to address in my update here. Some people are saying I'm leaving out details. My original post was much longer but there's a 3000 character limit imposed.
I had to delete a lot of things from my initial draft so I apologize if it looks like details have been left out. I did try to make sure everything that was relevant was kept. Lastly, my son is now back with me.
There was a lot of paperwork and even a court hearing, but we're together now and that's what counts.
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I'm sorry if I didn't respond to your comment or private message. I'm still going through my unread messages and still have quite a lot left to read. Truly, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support, words of encouragement, and advice that you sent my way.
I can't even begin to put into words how grateful I am. Again, thank you so much to all the kind strangers who went out of their way to help.
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Back in November 2018 I was arrested at work in front of my boss and co-workers. It was the most humiliating thing I've ever experienced. I later learned at the police station that I was being charged with multiple felonies.
This came as a huge surprise. Luckily I was able to keep my wits and lawyer up instead of speaking with the detective. For $13,000 which completely wiped my savings, I was able to retain a criminal defense attorney.
However it cost me everything and I was unable to pay my bond. This resulted in me staying in jail for a total of 54 days. At a status hearing, my attorney presented video evidence of me gassing up my car 3 hours away from where the crimes took place and I ended up having all my charges dismissed.
When I finally got out I learned that I had lost my job, was in the process of being evicted, and my son was in the state's care. His mother is a heroine addict and I haven't spoken to my own parents in nearly 15 years.
They wouldn't let him go to my girlfriend because they didn't consider her family.
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Since my release, I've learned that I can't sue the police and no one gives a shit that I was locked up for 54 days because the detective did poor investigation work. I've gone to the local press about this and was told that what happened to me happens quite a bit.
They took down my info but never followed up. So what I did was create a website sharing my story. I also uploaded the police report and some other documents from the discovery. Literally the only reason why I was arrested was because an eye witness said they saw me.
If the detective had done his job, he could have verified that I wasn't even in town on the day the crimes took place. This is what pisses me off the most. My life was ruined because of a lazy employee.
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I'm writing this now because my website is now ranked #2 on the first page of search results when you type in my town's name. I live in a touristy town and we attract a lot of visitors over the summer.
My web traffic has more than quadrupled, and apparently it's gotten someone high up's attention. I received a cease and desist letter recently, which I showed to my attorney. He said sharing my experience online isn't illegal and that everything I had stated was a fact or my own opinion, protecting me from a defamation lawsuit.
Yesterday I received a visit from two officers and the detective who had arrested me. He apologized, stating "mistakes can happen." They then talked to me about my website and asked if I could remove it.
I said I would delete it on the condition that the detective leave his job and never do police work again. Suffice to say that isn't happening.
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After the visit I received, I'm more pissed off that the only reason the detective apologized to me was to get me to take down my website. I don't plan to and the only one supporting this is my girlfriend.
My friends think I'm being spiteful and have suggested that I just delete it. AITA for keeping my website up?
Edit: Grammar
