Typically, we think that helping others shouldn’t be too much of a hassle for us. After all, putting some goodness into the world is always beneficial, isn't it? Well, today’s OP might have a slightly different opinion.
This change of opinion happened when they called for help for their problematic neighbor who overdosed. As a result, the police started suspecting them of being involved, which caused a lot of stress and potential legal trouble for them. And who wouldn't change their opinion about good deeds in a situation like that, right?
More info: Reddit
Good deeds are intended to put more virtue into the universe, yet sometimes, trying to do good has an unintended backlash for the person
Image credits: Juan Pablo Serrano (not the actual photo)
The OP had a neighbor who was not only a terrible person but also was quite frequently involved with law enforcement
Image credits: HamZa NOUASRIA (not the actual photo)
One day, this neighbor overdosed, and his wife wanted the author's help to call 911
Image credits: Kenny Eliason (not the actual photo)
So, they did, but when the police arrived, it became clear that they suspected the author of being involved in the party where the overdose happened
Image credits: Elijah O'Donnell (not the actual photo)
This made the author spiral into panic, as they weren't actually involved and just wanted to do a good deed
Image credits: u/Key-Cantaloupe-9655
Fortunately, some evidence came up that cleared the police's suspicions, but the author didn't feel like that was the end
Today’s OP has problematic neighbors who are regularly in trouble with the police. If that’s not enough, the man from that household has threatened the author both on social media and even by breaking into their car and leaving a threatening note there. So, he's not a friend of theirs.
One day, these neighbors caused a stir for the original poster, and they ended up describing the whole situation and asking for legal advice online. So, Bored Panda reached out to Judge’s Assistant Jurgita Kasinavičiūtė from the Kaunas chamber of the Kaunas district court to talk a little bit about the legal stuff that can be applied to this story. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. First, let’s figure out what happened, shall we?
Well, one day, the neighbor was possibly overdosing on some substances. Depending on its severity, an overdose of alcohol or some kind of substance can lead to uncomfortable symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, serious harm to health, or even death. So, when it happened to this person's neighbor, the neighbor's wife ran to them and asked them to call 911, one of the universal emergency numbers. She couldn't do it herself, as she lost her phone and also didn’t want to be identified by police due to those common encounters with law enforcement we mentioned before.
So, despite the fact that this neighbor was a huge jerk, the original poster still called 911, with the neighbor's wife dictating important information nearby. After all, a person's life was hanging by a thread.
Then, when help arrived, someone told them a story that was slightly different from reality. This led the OP to be questioned by the police. Our interviewee, Jurgita, revealed that when it comes to people being questioned by the police, at least in Lithuania, their rights come down to their procedural status – whether they are the witness or the suspect. Also, she highlighted that it is very important to remember that no officer has a right to restrict them and try to get answers by force.
Basically, if the story is happening in the United States, the person can apply their 5th Amendment rights. No person can be held to answer unless there are some special circumstances.
Well, at least from what was told in the Reddit post, it didn’t seem that any of the OP’s rights were violated. Yet, they described that it looked like the police didn’t really believe their explanation and thought that they were partying along with the neighbor who overdosed, which was surely not the case.
Image credits: Kindel Media (not the actual image)
This made the person worry that they might be accused of something they’re innocent of. For cases like this, Jurgita advises that the best thing to do is to find a lawyer who specializes in the needed area. “People tend to panic when they’re in a situation like this, and they might do something they regret later. They also might not be fully aware of their rights and responsibilities, which can lead them to not complete necessary legal actions in time, even though ignorance of the law is no excuse.”
Thankfully, later, the police ran a background check and listened to the 911 call, which made them cross out their theory about the OP’s involvement. Yet, the person is still worried that it’s not the end of it all and that some troubles might arise for them later. So, as we said previously, they turned to the internet for legal advice, even though there are some who state that asking for such things online isn't the best idea, as you can never be sure where the answer might come from.
Still, this doesn't stop people from doing it, as the subreddit where this post was found is thriving. The majority of answers under this post provided by r/legaladvice users didn’t really differ from what our interviewee pointed out – they need to get a lawyer. Also, apparently, some reminded the original poster about cameras that might have been near their home.
Later on, the author added an update related to this reminder. They, in fact, had a camera on their car. It seems that if the police ask for any kind of proof, the person will give it to them as proof that their description of events was true. Additionally, just in case, they added more cameras around their home, as they suspect that it will all turn into a huge legal mess soon. After all, it’s important to have proof you’re not guilty, isn’t it?
Jurgita says so, too. She pointed out that any type of evidence gathered in a legal way, especially if it’s fresh, is useful. Also, cooperation with pre-trial investigation institutions is viewed positively when it comes to sentencing.
Well, let's just hope that the evidence the OP currently has will be enough to clear their name and end this nightmare that started by them simply trying to do a good deed.
So, they reached out for some legal advice online, where the majority of netizens advised them to get a lawyer and even reminded them about another source of evidence -- cameras
