Mmm

[rockinhamburger]

I gotta get my ass in gear. I'm so fucking lazy these days, and it isn't good for anyone. I just sit on my ass and listen to music, eat everything in my apartment, and wander around downtown aimlessly.

My Psych fic's still coming along, although I've hit a minor standstill... I did find a link to an introduction of the California Criminal Justice System which gave me some good info, but I still need to figure out what Shawn's attackers can be legally charged with. If anyone here is knowledgable about the criminal justice system in general, please drop me a line. I have a few (i.e. many) questions, like what constitutes as attempted murder. Also about the court process, and how viable it is that an attempted murder case would go to trail, and then how long the trial would go on for. Finally, I need to know in what order the witnesses would called to testify on the stand. When, for example, would Lassiter be called to the stand if he was the preliminary investigator on Shawn's case? Before or after Shawn was called to the stand? Before or after Shawn's (alleged, but not really) attackers?

Man, this is a eally daunting task. Who am I kidding? I'm totally screwed.

Comments

[deadlybride.livejournal.com]

Holy shit! Where the hell have I been? How long have you been writing this thing, and hell yes there's going to be honest-to-god law?

I'm so - wow! I'm very excited, Nikki.

[rockinhamburger.livejournal.com]

Since early January, actually. I've been keeping it under wraps until recently because I tend to start something and lose inspiration for it. I suck like that. I decided I needed to come out and ask for help with it when I realized I couldn't cop out and leave the law parts out of it.

You see, what's happened is I've decided to write the whole thing out, and then post it. It makes much more sense. This way, no one is disappointed if I don't continue it (except for my beta-reader; she wouldn't be happy for it). I have close to 10,000 words typed up, but I've got a ways to go with this whole honest-to-god law business so it'll probably come out to 15 or 20,000 in the end.

I'm really liking it so far. It feels like a real piece. I'm not going to tell you too much, though. There's still so much to write.

I think you'll like it, Liz. It's going to be ten times better than my other fics because I have a (fantastic) beta-reader this time, and a more complex and dynamic plot (I hope).

I'm obsessed with Lassiter, though. This is my third fic written from his POV.

[deadlybride.livejournal.com]

You're much more patient than I am, then, if you're going to write the whole thing. That's what I tried to do with Third Law, but then I realized it had been six months since I'd done anything but REwrite, and broke down and started posting. On the other hand, I guess you don't have the same reaction that I do to comments - i.e. spasms of joy and inspiration that make you crave more writing.

I guess I can languish in mild suspense like everyone else, but damn. It'll be nice to get a long fic that I can be pretty sure will be great. Fics that are just long because the writer couldn't take out stuff that doesn't belong are - well, they're annoying, let's say that. Yours will be great.

Imagine me waving little writerly pom-poms, Nikki. Go! Go!

[rockinhamburger.livejournal.com]

Well, that's always how I've done it in the past as well, but it hasn't worked very well for me. I'm still a long way off from finishing Pillars of Sand, and Hold on to Me. Really, I should be working on completing those, but that is so not going to happen. This as yet untitled story needs to get out of me first.

Which may come out faster than I was expecting. I've started in on the law bits, and it's finally coming along. And guess who's making an appearance? ... Hornstock!

Anyway, it's all coming together and I can't wait to share with you and everyone else at Psych_Slash!

Thanks for the encouragement; it's definitely helping!

[brevityis.livejournal.com]

Wow, look whose posts suddenly started showing up on my friends page?

You already know I know nothing about real law. However I would think they could definately be charged with assault-and-battery. Not sure about attempted murder, but assault should be pretty basic, right?

Worst to worst, Google and learn what you can, and fudge what you can't. ...As your beta I shouldn't be saying this, should I? Oh well.

[rockinhamburger.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, Peters'll definitely be tried for assault-and-battery, but I'm wondering if he can also be tried for attempted murder, since he moved Shawn in order to cover his tracks. Peters might not have meant to harm Shawn that badly initially, but he clearly meant for Shawn to die if he didn't want Shawn to be found, so does that mean he can be tried for attempted murder? At the very least, he's get hit with hindering an investigation. And covering up a crime has to be a felony... Another question I have is whether Meyer would get charged with the same crimes as Peters even if he didn't actually particpate in the physical assault? He helped move the body, what does he get charged with? Accessory to murder? Could he be tried for false testimony in the police report? I have no idea! I should have thought of all this before I started writing this damn thing!

I know you can't really answer those questions, and I'm definitely Googling most of this, but it's such a daunting task figuring out what they can be legally charged with, and then, like I said, in what order the witnesses testify. Who goes first? Brambley, a witness or two to Shawn's psychic "show" at SOHO the night he was attacked, Carlton, Jules, the CSIs, Shawn's doctor, Meyer, Peters, Shawn himself? I mean, seriously, this is important stuff, and I have no idea how to proceed.

Agh, I suck.

[rockinhamburger.livejournal.com]

Accessory to murder?

Sorry, that should be accessory to attempted murder, since Shawn's not dead.