[quote=“TwoTongues”]But is there even a law against false accusations in Taiwan? Or can people pretty much say whatever they want, and get people in trouble?[/quote]Exactly! I mean, if someone was pissed off with me (not hard to imagine, right?) could they go to the police and tell a pack of lies about me and have the police come to my house with a search warrant and paw through all of my personal shit? And, then when they found no illegal drugs, then what? 
Good advice from RobinTaiwan. Bite the pill, prepare well, polish your Chinese in the sing-sing ( you can learn singing Peng Yo 
get out and look forward. I found it good that you stood up posting here. Might inspire others to get rid of anything which could be leading towards capital punishment. they do shoot horses do they…
[quote=“TwoTongues”]But is there even a law against false accusations in Taiwan?[/quote]Of course there is. But just go on and try to prove that the person who said these things actually knew it wasn’t true. Things get very muddy real fast.
[quote]Or can people pretty much say whatever they want, and get people in trouble?[/quote]You need to remember that if the police didn’t find any drugs on the premises, Jello and his wife would not be in trouble. The police searching your house is an inconvenience. It’s only trouble if they find what they are looking for.
This has happened to me (not about drugs, but an accusation that I was running an illegal office in my residence) and the police showed up and did their search. Apparently, from what I learned back then, someone absolutely could go to the police and tell a pack of lies about you and get the police to show up with a search warrant. (Like the op, I was freaked out when they showed up and didn’t ask many questions – although since it was for an illegal office that I absolutely didn’t have, I forced them to search exhaustively once I got my wits back, just to prove that it wasn’t so). It’s scary what can happen, and it’s worth thinking about it ahead of time so that you react the right way if it should happen to you.
And as for the “then what” – in my case, I still had to shell out the money to hire someone to appear for me to defend me against the charges that were absolutely unfounded. Since it was a business-related thing, it was an administrative hearing, not a trial, but the point is that I still had to go to a lot of time and trouble and money to defend myself against baseless charges. (Forumosa.com – at the time Oriented or Segue.com, can’t remember which – was instrumental in helping me sort all that out 
).
[quote=“Rotalsnart”][quote=“Jello”]
When we got to the police station they separated us and took our statements. I told them that my wife didn’t have any knowledge of there being any hash anywhere in our home and that it was all mine. She told them the exact same thing only it was hers and I had never touched the stuff.
[/quote]
That is pretty cool. Sounds like you’re both lucky people in your relationship.[/quote]
Just what I was thinking.
This too.
Jello, I wish you all the very best with your “rehab”. I suspect you’re more concerned with how your wife is handling this and I hope that the end result of all of this is that you are closer than ever before.
Just an idea: Since you’re already “heading in” and nothing will change (presumably), maybe ask if you can bring in books to better your Chinese. (If you’re not allowed to bring novels, etc.) I can’t see them not wanting you to “better” yourself while in “rehab”… and your wife will be even happier to see you when the whole miserable thing is over with.
I can’t bring anything in there with me but after seven days, my lawyer or my wife can bring me books. They’re the only two people who can visit me though I was enjoying the thought of a forumosa happy hour taking place inside Toucheng Prison. So after seven days I will have books and I can buy some stuff from the commissary there. Snacks and things. My wife tells me the food is horrible and they don’t give you enough.
Really appreciate the support I’m getting here. I was a little worried I would get shit on more but you have been putting my mind at ease a bit. I go in on May 18 and I’ll definitely try to see if I can keep a journal and write about this when I get out. Take care!
[quote=“Jello”]I can’t bring anything in there with me but after seven days, my lawyer or my wife can bring me books. They’re the only two people who can visit me though I was enjoying the thought of a forumosa happy hour taking place inside Toucheng Prison. So after seven days I will have books and I can buy some stuff from the commissary there. Snacks and things. My wife tells me the food is horrible and they don’t give you enough.
Really appreciate the support I’m getting here. I was a little worried I would get shit on more but you have been putting my mind at ease a bit. I go in on May 18 and I’ll definitely try to see if I can keep a journal and write about this when I get out. Take care![/quote]
good luck and hang in there !! is your wife out yet? I guess they let her out then put you in? At least you are not both in there same time then?
There’s a little overlap. I go in on the 18th and she’ll get out about the 28th I think.
Its the shits to spend anytime locked up. But hopefully this experience will tie you two together closer and you can always laugh at your days as “jailbirds” in the future.
Maybe some forumosans can bring some “free willy” banners (cant say free jello or they may give you a hard time) and put it all on youtube or something?
[quote=“Jello”]
When we got to the police station they separated us and took our statements. I told them that my wife didn’t have any knowledge of there being any hash anywhere in our home and that it was all mine. She told them the exact same thing only it was hers and I had never touched the stuff. .[/quote]
Good luck to you guys.
Does seem wrong without a trial. Don’t they have habeas corpus here? You don’t have the right to be tried by your peers, so maybe they don’t.
We’ve had habeas corpus since 1215. 
[quote=“Big Fluffy Matthew”]Does seem wrong without a trial. Don’t they have habeas corpus here? You don’t have the right to be tried by your peers, so maybe they don’t.
We’ve had habeas corpus since 1215. [/quote]
And bad teeth since 940, and Gordon Brown since 2007, but you’re not getting a medal for either of those either. How exactly does England having the Magna Carta help out Mr Jello?
Actually, the whole “mail it in” thing for what might be a relatively short “rehab” sentence probably saves everyone a bunch of trouble and time and money, if you’re ready to admit to a measure of guilt. I wonder if calling it “rehab” means it’s not on some sort of permanent record, as though you went to jail, which might have employment repercussions. In other words, if you take the mail-in option, you get a shorter, “rehab” instead of a longer, blocks-your-visa/reentry, goes to Interpol kind of sentence.
[quote=“TwoTongues”]I wonder if calling it “rehab” means it’s not on some sort of permanent record, as though you went to jail, which might have employment repercussions. [/quote]“rehab” is the sentence. If you’re asking whether they have a criminal record or not, the answer is yes. It’s a big hit for a gram of hash, no doubt. 
Ech - nevermind that theory then. So they’re not even handing our reduced sentences this way too? Is a couple weeks in “rehab” low or high for a couple of joints-worth?
For some reason, all I can hear is Amy Winehouse in my head (they tried to make me go to rehab, and I said no, no, no).
[quote=“TwoTongues”]
For some reason, all I can hear is Amy Winehouse in my head (they tried to make me go to rehab, and I said no, no, no).[/quote]
Ooooh, maybe Jello can get everyone to do “Rehab” as a sing-a-long like these guys in the Philippines?
No, there’s no criminal record when this is all over. I guess it would be called a deferred prosecution in the states. After you get out they mail you something again saying that there is no prosecution. It’s best for me to just bite the bullet and do this quietly so I don’t get in any more trouble than I already am.
It’s nice that there’s only a little overlap in you and your wife’s stays. Imagine if they were completely concurrent and you couldn’t visit each other!
Mr Jello, what I still don’t get is how they can send you to “rehab” when your urine test was clear. Sure, you had a pea-sized ball of dope hidden away in a vitamin bottle somewhere, but how does that make you worthy of “rehab”? Surely they have to prove culpability? One way for sure is through a urine/blood test. You passed. Isn’t the onus on them to prove that the “drug” was in your possession? A spot of dope being in your house doesn’t necessarily make you the owner. Surely many travelers and housemates have come and gone through the time you’ve been there? Sorry to be slightly OT, but this is something that future victims of this absurdity can learn from. Look, you’ve admitted that the dope was yours. No worries. But what if it wasn’t?
No, rehab is absolutely not a sentence. People who go into this kind of rehab in Taiwan have not technically been charged with a crime. Basically, the prosecutor is saying, either go into rehab, or take your chances with an indictment. (Which might end up with a real prison sentence.) And no, it is not a criminal record, technically speaking. However, there is a record in the sense that you will still be on a computer someplace as having gone through this process. And as far as the time you do inside, yes, it’s jail time. But no, from a legal perspective, rehab is an administrative option, and they can’t make you go. (But they can then put a warrant out and indict you and give you your day in court – the habeas corpus that came up earlier in the thread.)