My question involves criminal law for the state of: Florida
My brother lives in Florida and filed a police report against me over an angry letter that I wrote to him. I live in Calif. I insulted him, but NEVER threatened him. I was responding to HIS harassment of ME, which I never reported to the police. This was my first contact to my brother in 15 years.
I live in California. I received a message on my answering machine from a Florida police officer, complete with name and call back number.. I was informed that my brother had filed a police report for "harassing communications" and told that IF I contact my brother further----via mail, phone, Facebook, email---it "will result in criminal charges". I called the police phone number after hours and got the officer's voice mail, so I know this is for real.
My abusive father has police friends and has a history of lying to the authorities about me. My dad has used the police against me in frighteningly unethical ways. He has bribed and/or threatened to sue police officers if they don't do his bidding. It truly is appallingly corrupt and terribly frightening.
My father recently boasted that no police officer will ever believe me over him. My dad says that the cops view him as a respectable member of the community, and that my credibility is zero, thanks to my dad's lies and smear campaign against me. I have seen how the cops take my dad's word for things and fail to even ASK for my side of the story. This happened in my early adult years, when I was still living at home. I don't have a criminal record, but when I lived at home my dad filed several bogus police reports against me, alleging absolutely horrible and untrue claims against me and my character. My dad gave the police a list of alleged "character witnesses" who ALL just happened to be his FRIENDS. Most of these people had never ONCE even met me, yet they "corroborated" my father's bogus claims. The irony is that my DAD is the ABUSER, and I was the helpless victim. This happened 15 years ago.
I know that my father recently assisted my brother every step of the way in filing the "harassing communications" police report. At least in this case, I really DID send my brother a letter, but it consisted of insults, not threats. However, I wouldn't put it past my father to LIE to the Florida police and make FALSE CLAIMS about me being a menace to society or some other crazy crap. I have ZERO history of any violence. For whatever reason, the cops seem to believe ANYTHING my father says about me. (My father has "police friends" AND high-powered lawyers on his side.) My father has kept meticulous logs of alleged behaviors of mine that were 100% FALSE. My dad seems to know every trick in the book. My father boasted that HIS NAME is on the Florida police report, in addition to my brother's name.
Obviously, I plan on AVOIDING both my brother AND my father in the future. I AM curious as to what was said about me in this recent Florida police report. I'd wager it's probably 99% outright LIES. I know that prospective employers may see this on a background check, so I figure I should be informed. I'm not really sure how to defend myself, but at least there aren't any charges.
Since I'm in California, I can't pick up the police report in person. I'd have to call the county in Florida and ask them how to obtain a copy of my police report. For a fee, I'm sure they can mail it to me. Part of me is a bit afraid to do this, because I don't want the officer listed on the complaint to call me again and ask me to call her back. (I never did speak to her. I've always heard it's a bad idea to say ANYTHING to police WITHOUT A LAWYER.) I DO think it's weird that the cop left a message on my answering machine to tell me the news. What if I'd never gotten my voicemails that day? I also have NOT gotten anything in the mail re: this matter, at least not so far. The whole thing is a bit weird, but my father has POWER. I AM interested to know if my brother has an "anti-harassment" order against me, and how long such an order is effective. Could he have gotten this without gong to a judge? And without MY input?
Does anyone think it's a bad idea to request a copy of my police report? Would I just be stirring up a hornet's nest? I'm certain my father perjured himself, not that there's anything I can do about it. I don't have the money to hire a lawyer. I am curious to know what on Earth my brother and my father told the Florida police about me. I also wonder if the Florida police contacted some of the people that my dad had speak against me 15 years ago, or at the very least, the Florida cops probably accessed the Calif. police records which detail my father's ugly lies about me as a teenager and young adult. (There was a 2-week lag between the initial filing of the police report and the call from the Florida police officer. They apparently did some sort of "investigative work"). Thanks for any advice!

