Call to Suicide Hotline Misinterpreted as a Prank Call
Ok, so to start off, i didn't 'harass' or 'prank call' anybody. I called a suicide hotline, when i thought it was just a 'free hotline', and i asked a non-suicide related question. They constrewed it as a 'prank' call and called the cops. Then the sherrifs office called ME, and i explained everything that happened, and she said not to do it again, and i said i wouldn't. The cops came to my house, rung the door bell twice, and left. My question is, did i do anything illegal? For one, i didn't KNOWINGLY call an emergency line, nor did i prank them. The law says prank calls are illegal, but the definition of a prank call is when 'you call a line, with the intent of harassing, intimidating or making a joke" Well, i DID call the suicide hotline, but i did not harass, intimidate or plan to joke. It was a serious question. I know when you call the suicide hotline, the cops sometimes come to see if your ok, so was that all they were doing? Abusing their powers to come check on me, just to mess with and HARASS me?
Re: Call to Suicide Hotline Misinterpreted as a Prank Call
What question did you ask?
Re: Call to Suicide Hotline Misinterpreted as a Prank Call
What state are you in?
And, seriously, you consider the police checking on the welfare of a person who has called a suicide hotline as abuse of power and harassment??? Oooook.
Re: Call to Suicide Hotline Misinterpreted as a Prank Call
The question was, that i restated twice, "DID I DO ANYTHING ILLEGAL"
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You and the other guy have got to be the biggest idiots ive seen in my life. I said twice, i did NOT call the suicide hotline because i was suicidal, i called them to ask them a NON suicide question, but it wasn't a prank.
I Called a Suicide Hotline, Without Being Suicidal, and the Cops Came to My House
Ok, I live in texas, I already posted this question but I was aghast at how stupid the replies were. So I will try to be clear this time: Ok, i had a question, that i wanted another human beings opinion on. so i went to google, and searched for "free hotlines" i then called a suicide hotline, NOT ABOUT SUICIDE, to ask my question. They then misconstrued my call as a "prank call" and called my local police station. This bitchy lady cop then called me, and after threatening to put me in jail, I explained to her that I wasn't prank calling anybody, and she said not to call the hotline again, I agreed and we hung up. Then hours later, after midnight, the cops came to my house, rang the doorbell twice, nobody answered and they left. My question, is very simple. Did I do anything illegal? The only two laws I could have broke, was abusing a 911 line or making prank calls. But in texas, where I live, you have to knowingly abuse an emergency line. i honestly had no clue it was a suicide hotline, I just wanted to talk to someone. And I sure as hell didn't know it was a government funded crisis hotline. So I didn't KNOWINGLY do anything. So I think I'm clear from litigation via that law, the other law I "could" have broken would be making prank calls. And that's what the hotline thought I did, but it wasn't a prank call. I can prove that my call was applicable to real life, and it was not a prank. I really just wanted somebody who I didn't knows opinion. So I restate: did I do anything illegal? I don't feel like I did. In fact I feel harassed myself.
Re: Call to Suicide Hotline Misinterpreted as a Prank Call
If you were a bit smarter, and a bit less rude, you would have figured out that you were being asked about the question you asked when you called the hotline. But alas, you're rude and not very bright, factors that no doubt contributed to your present situation.
Now answer the question.
Re: Call to Suicide Hotline Misinterpreted as a Prank Call
I would say they interpreted you off topic question and habit of stupid blathering as possibly being related to the influence of drugs in a suicide attempt. The sheriff likely came out just to make sure their assessment was correct, you do just have brain damage.
Re: Call to Suicide Hotline Misinterpreted as a Prank Call
Believe me, the police have better things to do than go out and "mess with" and "harass" some yo-yo that pranks a suicide hotline.
We don't know WHY the police responded. It might be because you made a harassing call (or more than one) to the hotline, or, because they were trying to conduct a welfare check on you to see if you were okay. Chances are if you called a suicide hotline in the middle of the night to ask a generic question, you had been drinking or doing drugs - or sounded as if you had. As such, it would not be unreasonable to ask the police to look in on you.
So, as Mr. K asked, what was this question that you asked the hotline folks?
Re: Call to Suicide Hotline Misinterpreted as a Prank Call
When you call a Suicide Hotline, you should only be calling because you are thinking of suicide. If you asked a non-suicide related question, it could be perceived as a prank call. The cops may have come to investigate....or to see if a suicidal person decided they did not want help after all.
And while you are calling the people here who responded to you stupid...go look in the mirror.
Re: Call to Suicide Hotline Misinterpreted as a Prank Call
The question is irrelevant, just know that it wasnt threatening. This site is full of cocks and dicks. But at least I'm pretty sure I can get the possibly impending charges dropped now. But still your all dicks and I'm even a little of a dick.