So last night I learned that it's possible to be 21 and still get ticketed for drinking in a private home

[Paktu]

Last night I went to a party at a house a few blocks away. Four kegs, pretty standard fare. Towards the end, the cops showed up, but I didn't really care since I'm 21 and was drinking legally. Or so I thought...

Normally, a couple cops will show up, tell everyone who doesn't live there to leave, and then take off. This time, at least 20-30 cops showed up. They blocked the front and back door and wouldn't let anyone leave. I went up to one of the cops and said "Here's my ID, I'm 21, lemme go". She replied "I'll let you know when I'm ready to check your ID". I rolled my eyes and walked back into the house. When they finally got around to checking my license, and confirmed that I was 21, they realized they couldn't write me a ticket for drinking. So, instead, they cite me for "Noisy Assembly" and send me away. It's particularly amusing when there's a bar right across the street blasting music, but they seem uninterested in writing tickets for anyone there. Hmm...

Here's what I'd like to know:
1. Was it legal for them to not allow me to leave the house?
2. What's the best way to fight this thing?

EDIT: Since a few of you are posting snarky comments, please look at when this thread was posted, and read my update at the end of page three.

 

[BlancoNino]

They'll have to have hard evidence that you were causing the noise. Just kidding..all the cop has to do is say you were loud and he wins.

 

[s0ssos]

one trick you can try is just contest it in court. if the cop doesn't show, you win.

 

[altonb1]

Originally posted by: BlancoNino
They'll have to have hard evidence that you were causing the noise. Just kidding..all the cop has to do is say you were loud and he wins.

I'm not sure it is that simple, actually. I'd go to court and fight it.

 

[bctbct]

"I rolled my eyes and walked back into the house."

yep, not like you taunted them or anything.

 

[Sphexi]

Did one cop write all the tickets? Probably not, in which case it's a lot of cops, showing up for a LOT of court dates if everybody contests it. Doubt they'll bother, just go in and tell em you weren't being loud and you were legal age, should drop it.

 

[Gigantopithecus]

Originally posted by: Paktu
They blocked the front and back door and wouldn't let anyone leave. I went up to one of the cops and said "Here's my ID, I'm 21, lemme go".

You shouldn't have been ticketed for drinking, or noisy assembly. You should be imprisoned for being stupid. You NEVER, never, never, never volunteer ANYTHING to the police.

 

[Paktu]

Here's the city ordinance:

http://www.ci.mpls.mn.us/police/crime-prevention/docs/CONOISE2.pdf
Noisy or unruly assembly (Commonly referred to as "Loud Party" ordinance.):
For the purposes of sections 389.65(c)(1) and 389.65(c)(2), the term ?noisy or unruly assembly? shall mean a gathering of more than one person in a residentially zoned or used area or building between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. whose noisy or illegal conduct would be likely to cause significant discomfort or annoyance to a reasonable person of normal sensitivities present in the area considering the time of day and the residential character of the area. Noisy or unruly assemblies may include, but are not limited to, those involving excessive noise, obstruction of public ways by crowds or vehicles, consumption of alcohol by minors, provision of alcohol to minors, fighting, disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct, littering, and public urination or defecation.

 

[Fenixgoon]

Originally posted by: bctbct
"I rolled my eyes and walked back into the house."

yep, not like you taunted them or anything.

how is rolling eyes at BS considered taunting?

 

[bctbct]

Originally posted by: Fenixgoon

Originally posted by: bctbct
"I rolled my eyes and walked back into the house."

yep, not like you taunted them or anything.

how is rolling eyes at BS considered taunting?

are you stupid?

 

[Paktu]

Originally posted by: bctbct

Originally posted by: Fenixgoon

Originally posted by: bctbct
"I rolled my eyes and walked back into the house."

yep, not like you taunted them or anything.

how is rolling eyes at BS considered taunting?

are you stupid?

FWIW, I was not singled out for "taunting" the police or anything like that. I had two other friends there that were also 21 and also got the same ticket.

 

[Fenixgoon]

Originally posted by: bctbct

Originally posted by: Fenixgoon

Originally posted by: bctbct
"I rolled my eyes and walked back into the house."

yep, not like you taunted them or anything.

how is rolling eyes at BS considered taunting?

are you stupid?

disrespect != taunting

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: Paktu
Here's the city ordinance:
.... a gathering of more than one person in a residentially zoned or used area or building between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. whose noisy or illegal conduct would be likely to cause significant discomfort or annoyance to a reasonable person of normal sensitivities present in the area ...

I'm no lawyer, but my reading of this is if you participate in such a gathering you're guilty, whether you specifically were yelling drunkenly or not.

Guilty!

 

[orakle]

What sucks is that you probably didn't get ticketed when you were drinking under-age, but now you do

 

[allisolm]

FWIW, I was not singled out for "taunting" the police or anything like that. I had two other friends there that were also 21 and also got the same ticket.

Maybe they were plannng to let the participants over age 21 all go until you demanded to be let out and rolled your eyes?

 

[Paktu]

Originally posted by: orakle
What sucks is that you probably didn't get ticketed when you were drinking under-age, but now you do

Yep. Drank all the time when I was underage and never got caught. Turned 21 less than a month ago. Funny how these things work out.

 

[Paktu]

Originally posted by: allisolm
FWIW, I was not singled out for "taunting" the police or anything like that. I had two other friends there that were also 21 and also got the same ticket.

Maybe they were plannng to let the participants over age 21 all go until you demanded to be let out and rolled your eyes?

Nope. They were already ticketing a few 21 year olds before I talked to the cops.

 

[orakle]

On another note, how bored are the cops of your city if they can send 30 of them to break up a house party? I've never even heard of that happening here.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: Paktu

Originally posted by: orakle
What sucks is that you probably didn't get ticketed when you were drinking under-age, but now you do

Yep. Drank all the time when I was underage and never got caught. Turned 21 less than a month ago. Funny how these things work out.

<Earl> Karma! </Earl>

 

[imported_Mike]

Your title is misleading

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: Gigantopithecus

Originally posted by: Paktu
They blocked the front and back door and wouldn't let anyone leave. I went up to one of the cops and said "Here's my ID, I'm 21, lemme go".

You shouldn't have been ticketed for drinking, or noisy assembly. You should be imprisoned for being stupid. You NEVER, never, never, never volunteer ANYTHING to the police.

If he didn't do what he did, he'd be in the same situation. :roll:

Originally posted by: Sphexi
Did one cop write all the tickets? Probably not, in which case it's a lot of cops, showing up for a LOT of court dates if everybody contests it. Doubt they'll bother, just go in and tell em you weren't being loud and you were legal age, should drop it.

Or more likely everyone will have the same court date.

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: Mike
Your title is misleading

Misleading..? Completely inaccurate is more like it.

 

[BrownTown]

When I was in high school the cops got like 20 people and went to a home where alot of high school kids were drinking (like 100 high school kids). A bunch of people ran and got away, but 20 cops means they can catch 20 people, so alot of people got underage drinking, but i don't think they did muc habout it. The only people who got in real trouble were the parents who apparently organized the party and provided the alcohol. So, having 20 cops show up and bust a party is not some completely foreign thing. I've been at parties where 5 cops showed up, but they normally just send everyone home and don't write any tickets. Personally, I think you should only write tickets if something really blatant is happening, or if you have already warned the people involved.

 

[RollWave]

So now you have a misdemeanor on your record? Awesome. Thats going to be tons of fun to explain to any grad school you might want to apply to...

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: rnp614
So now you have a misdemeanor on your record? Awesome. Thats going to be tons of fun to explain to any grad school you might want to apply to...

Citation != misdemeanor, no?