I was in a dept. store w/ my little sis. I was looking at clothes/ she was looking in jewelery. As we headed towards the exit, my sis hands me a $25 ring and tells me she stole it. I was shocked as it sat in my hand and I did not know what to do. STUPIDLY I continued to walk out the doors, and security stopped us and brought us back to the security office.
I am going to college to become a teacher and I am really ashamed at what happened. I now have a court date, I can't afford an attorney, and it's my first offense and I am an adult. I don't want this on my criminal record...Guilty w/ explanation, guilty, not guilty, or no contest??
2007-01-17 04:43:08 · 12 answers · asked by Olivejuice 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
I don't think you can afford not to get a lawyer, expecially if you are going to be working with children. You can try to explain it to the judge, but I wouldn't count on any leniency. Good luck
2007-01-17 04:46:40 · answer #1 · answered by Militant Agnostic 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Again, don't know what state you live in, and things work differently in each state. But, in NY, this is your option: you can ask the judge for a Legal Aid attorney. If you financially qualify you will be appointed one. Ask the atty. about an ACOD, this means that you will have the whole matter disappear, it is called a conditional discharge. What happens is, if you have no further legal difficulties within a certain period (6 months or a year) the matter will be dismissed.
Now: the first thing, as you know, you should have turned around and taken the ring back to the jewelry counter. Second thing, your sister needs to understand she has put you in a very serious position. One which could jeopardize your entire future. This should be a lesson to both.
2007-01-17 05:43:39 · answer #2 · answered by Nancy W 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am from California and only know California law, but a few things are the same in all the states.
First, you should be appointed an attorney at the arraignment at no charge to you. DO NOT PLEAD GUILTY. Talk to an attorney first.
Probably there is nothing that can be done, but who knows? Speak to your attorney.
Additionally, do not speak about your case to anyone. That means don't talk about your version of events on Yahoo! Answers.
Incidentally, in California, at least, and perhaps many other states, you can have your record expunged if you complete probation successfully.
2007-01-17 17:01:07 · answer #3 · answered by Erik B 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You certainly can not be too much of an adult if you do not know exactly what to do with something someone hands you in a store and tells you they just stole it!
And don't think the Judge is going to feel sorry for you because he or she is not!
Plead No contest and make a sincere admission of stupidity to the Court who may take this in consideration on the amount of fine and or jail time you may be getting.
2007-01-17 04:52:36 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
For someone getting ready to go to college...you just learned a lesson from the best school I know....the school of hard knocks! As an adult...you should have immediately stopped and corrected the issue with your sister letting her know that the results of theft effect the rest of us when we have to pay higher costs for items and stealing is WRONG!
You don't think for a minute that the retailer is going to say "No problem...I'll take the loss!" Nope! The retailer is going to pass the cost of his expenses to the consumer.
Go to court and ask to be provided a court appointed attorney since you can't afford legal advise. You MIGHT be able to avert this problem with the assistance of the attorney who can explain your case and lack of good judgement for not stopping the problem before it started!!
As for the advise from those who tell you to lie to the judge....just remember judges are not dumb. Don't get caught perjuring yourself and add MORE trouble to your issue!
Being a first time offender...you could also ask your attorney to ask for "youthful offender" status! Hope everything works out and best wishes!
2007-01-17 04:51:49 · answer #5 · answered by KC V ™ 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Ask for some sort of mediation, or deferred prosecution. The store recovered the merchandise, so there would be no restitution to make. Present your circumstances to the judge, and stress that what you did was wrong, but you have no intention of repeating it. Judges are human too, and this may influence his decision.
2007-01-17 04:53:23 · answer #6 · answered by dkiller88 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Tell the truth, simple as that. If you knew it was stolen, and you walked out, or attempted to, the door, then you are guilty. Plea bargain or no contest.
2007-01-17 05:22:00 · answer #7 · answered by pastafarian1 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if you carried it out the store,you stole it...plead guilty and tell the judge what happened...or plead not guilty,have a trial and get found guilty and you get no sympathy from the judge
2007-01-17 05:22:51 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No Contest. I can't imagine what your explanation would be ... you continued towards the exit after she told you she stole it.
2007-01-17 04:52:13 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Get an attorney, first. Then tell him/her what happened. Yes it means giving your sister up, but obviously she needs help. And to do that to you...that's really messed up.
2007-01-17 05:33:22 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋