Attention Florida citizens: Help needed with specific info!! (ANYONE who can help!)

[lupo pazzesco]

Ok, in another thread I mentioned issues my sister is having with her boyfriend's alleged current ex wife. Now, the ex-wife is making harassing phone calls to my sister, constantly. Thing is, she's located in Sarasota, FL, and my sister's in Texas.

My question is this: What are the laws regarding harassing phone calls in Florida. And if anyone can give me info on that in general, it'd be helpful. I know it's across state lines, but this is ripping my sister apart. She may be stupid and naive and too trusting, and I mayfight with her constantly, but she's my little sister and she's asking me for help.

There's a part of me that wants to call this bitch and rip her a new one for hurting my sister, but I know that's not the way to go. So, help? Ideas? ANYONE?!


ETA: This is just a sample of the kind of messages she's texting to my sister, (and apparently the voicemails are even worse!)

"When was the last time u fucked my husband u stupid airhead bitch?!!!

[Jester]

If you really want to find out the legalities of all this, I would contact the DA's office in both Sarasota and in the part of Texas your sister lives in. I would guess that the jurisdiction would be that of where the calls originate (Sarasota), but as I am not a legal mind, that is all it is--a guess. By contacting both jurisdictions, though, you can find out what the issue is, if there are laws being broken, and what your sister as a complainant can do about it, if anything.

By calmly and politely making your queries in both places, hopefully you will get the answers you need to put an end to this idiocy.

[Andara Bledin]

Definitely go to both local District Attourneys.

Sometimes, the police will tell you that there's nothing they can do because they don't want to be bothered. That's not always the case, but I've seen it happen enough that I don't trust them to tell me the truth in such matters any more. (example: company check stolen and attempted to be cashed for $30k. bank caught it. cops said "well, you didn't lose any money so there's no case" ... assholes... charges were most decidedly pressed . fraudster is now in jail)

^-.-^

[BlaqueKatt]

She may be stupid and naive and too trusting, and I mayfight with her constantly, but she's my little sister and she's asking me for help

I would let your sister know that if this man is married-she could be looking at a civil lawsuit if the wife finds out who she is-alienation of affection-it is a legal precedent, and jilted spouses have gone after the other woman/man and gotten awarded what the cheating spouse's income would've been had they stayed together.

[Greenday]

Make sure your sister keeps a record of all the threatening/harassing messages. It'll help a lot.

[Fenrus]

company check stolen and attempted to be cashed for $30k. bank caught it. cops said "well, you didn't lose any money so there's no case"

whawhaWHAT? You've got to be kidding, right? That's freaking TEXTBOOK fraud! I hope you went to a Sergeant or higher up about that!

[lupo pazzesco]

cops said "well, you didn't lose any money so there's no case" ... assholes... charges were most decidedly pressed . fraudster is now in jail)

^-.-^

See, that's the issue here. TX PD are saying that since there's not technically laws against harassing phone calls in this state unless bodily harm is threatened and then followed through on, there's nothing that they can do except take reports "For info purposes only" That way, when/if said bodily harm occurs, they have background info for premeditated whatchamafuck. (Yeah, that still boggles my mind)

HOWEVER, the deputy sheriff I spoke with in the Sarasota police department, and the research my dear, dear friend in Florida, (whom incidentally, I woke up at midnight to look this up for me. Love you, E.!!!!!!), said that according to the Florida penal code, in FL what psycho bitch is doing is considered a misdemeanor, punishable by at least a $5k fine, and if it continues, possible jail time. My sister has filed TWO police reports, and this speaks to pattern.

But neither PD will move on the case unless the other one "requests" it. So, our next step is to go to the district attorney in TX, start there. Then, move up the chain to state attorney, because when attempting to call the state's attorney, sister was asked if she tried district attorney first, she said no. Random paper pusher on the other line informed her nothing could be done by state attorney unless district attorney said no first. AT least, that's how I interpret it. It all just makes my brain hurt.

[draggar]

I'll tell you how crappy the laws are here.

My wife's friend is going though a divorce and got involved with a guy (after she was separated). After things turned sour for the guy he:

Called her non stop, leaving threatening voice mails
Stalked her - at her house, followed her everywhere
Broke into her home and left his business cards INSIDE the house
Attacked her on multiple offasions - once actually choking her until she passed out.

The police said that there was NOTHING THEY COULD DO. They said it was all hearsay (even though there was a caller ID print on her voice mails).

They did nothing until her neighbor witnessed him hitting her on her property. Only then did the police start working on a protective order for her.

My real question is WHY THE her SCHUTZHUND 3 DOGS didn't bite him and rip out his while he was attacking her?? I've seen these dogs work - she gives the command, it doesn't matter who she's pointing to- they go FULL FORCE (and they're malinois so they won't wuss out like most other breeds).

Here's the kind of training her dogs have (note: epic pwnage at 1:00) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfi5F...eature=related

[Andara Bledin]

whawhaWHAT? You've got to be kidding, right? That's freaking TEXTBOOK fraud! I hope you went to a Sergeant or higher up about that!

Oh, yeah. The bosslady wasn't about to take that bullshit, so she basically harassed them into doing their f***ing jobs. The woman who tried to cash the check is now in jail.

As I said in my earlier post, don't take the PD's word for it. If you have any hint of a case, go straight to the DA for both you're jurisdiction, and the DA for Mrs. Psycho as well.

^-.-^

[Dips]

If you have any hint of a case, go straight to the DA for both you're jurisdiction, and the DA for Mrs. Psycho as well.

^-.-^

That's a good idea. The minor son (under 18 at the time) of one of my co-workers was beaten by several young adults (over 18) he knew who shoved their way into his house.

Because the son knew his attackers the local police felt is was a personal dispute and not worth pursuing.

The co-worker just went to the DA with the evidence and kept calling about it until the DA filed charges against the attackers. Some of them turned on the ringleader and gave testimony. The ringleader was crying as he was led away to serve his sentence. Co-worker thinks it was the first time he ever had to face the consequences for hurting another person.

Justice can be a hassle but it can also be very satisfying.

[strawbabies]

Does the ex-wife (has the divorce been finalized?) know exactly where your sister lives? Why does she have your sister's phone number?

[lupo pazzesco]

Not sure if she knows exactly where sister lives. And we don't know if it's ex-wife, current wife, or psycho ex-girlfriend, actually. And my sister is unlisted, since last time the psychobitch pulled this, we got her number changed. So...there's really only ONE way for her to have my sister's phone number, and that's to have gotten it from the skeazebag boy...

[thegiraffe]

I'm gonna go ahead and echo the rest of the post here.

Get some advice from the DAs. Ask around until you get someone who gives you answers. She can also probably call her phone company (landline or wireless) and have then block that number. I would also somehow save the messages - evidence is gonna be necessary here. Most phones have a feature where you can save messages (or even just take a picture of the phone screen - get the evidence somehow) so that if something happens, it doesn't become a he-said she-said battle. Those are NEVER good - especially when it comes to legal stuff.

And it's pretty easy to find where people live if you know where to look, especially if she owns the place she lives in. Even if she doesn't, it's incredibly easy. This lady seems to be off her rocker, so I wouldn't take chances. There can likely be an injuction files, but then again...I'm not an attorney.

So...
-talk to district attorneys
-block the numbers
-EVIDENCE!

Good luck!!

[strawbabies]

So...there's really only ONE way for her to have my sister's phone number, and that's to have gotten it from the skeazebag boy...

This guy gave his current wife the phone # of the woman he's sleeping with???

Your sister needs to dump him, pronto! And change the number again.

[AccountingDrone]

This guy gave his current wife the phone # of the woman he's sleeping with???

Your sister needs to dump him, pronto! And change the number again.

dumb ass asleep, reach into his pocket and pull out his cell phone, flip through all the address book entries, call all of them to see if a woman answers, bitch her out .... put it back into his pocket ... or write down all the numbers and call them all to see if a woman answers