On March 20th, 07 I was charged w/ 2nd degree burglary, grand theft 400+, and child endangerment. Im a 19 single mother in college. I was with 2 friends and we went to a store and we stole (I had my daughter w/ me) I just helped pack stuff in to a stroller they had (it did not belong to me) and popped of a couple alarms (I don't know if they have that on video) my bail was $120,000 (a family member paid it) and I was out of jail in 12 hours. I did not walk out of the store with any items, my friend pushed the stroller out of the store and the securities chased us out.....we left and about 1 hr later came back to pick up his car and we got arrested by the police.....they guy that walked out w/ the stoller, his bail was $160,000 and remained in jail, went to court 3 days later and was released on probation for 3 yrs. My other friend was also bailed out (her bail was $30,000). Do u think I will go to jail? Should I plead not guilty since I didnt walk out w/ anything? Court on Mar 27
If you were in this situation how would you plead???
2007-03-26 19:26:16 · 21 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
Burglary and grand theft for "shop lifting?"Geez these grand juries are getting creative...Get a lawyer quick, if you don't have one....or ask for a postponement and get one.
2007-03-26 19:33:57 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
assuming tomorrow is your arraignment and not your trial, you absolutely positively plead not guilty. Remember this: Telling the judge that youre not guilty at your arraignment is not an indication of weather you did or did not do anything wrong. A not guilty plea will guarantee your rights. Example: your right to a fair trail, a right to an attorney, etc.
Go to the courthouse tomorrow, plead not guilty, immediately go to the local public defenders office and ask in person (not over the phone) to make an appointment with a public defender as soon as possible ( which is something you should have done long before now). Other than that, all I can tell you is good luck and make sure you dont hold any of the story back from your public defender. They need to know everything that happened wether you think its good for your case or not.
2007-03-27 02:55:48 · answer #2 · answered by bigmark9000 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Suck it up and do the right thing. Accept responsibility and deal with it.Then move on and try and be the person you think you are.You screwed up,and now you have to pay for your crime and,hopefully,learn from it and become a productive member of society. Blaming someone else for your actions is not the way to defend yourself. In the end it is you that made the decision to carry out your crime and you are the only one to blame.If someone forced you to commit a crime,you wouldn't have to go before the judge.This is a chance for you to get real.
2007-03-28 23:48:40 · answer #3 · answered by Logical Earthling 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Honey, I hate to tell you, but even just putting items into the stroller they were using to steal the stuff in the first place is considered acting as an accomplish. I'd say get a lawyer, hopefully a good one, and pray for your daughter's sake that you don't go to jail. If it's your first offense you may get lucky... but I wouldn't neccessarily count on it. Pleading "No Contest" simply means you aren't disputing the facts of the case, but you're not admitting guilt. Your plea will still go down as a "Guilty" conviction if that's what the judge or jury decides.
Good luck, and hopefully you learned your lesson.
2007-03-27 02:32:43 · answer #4 · answered by EzminJ 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Where is your lawyer! You are looking at jail time and you are required to be given an attorney, probably the Public Defender!
Sounds to me you should have been charged as an accessory, not with the crime as nothing left the store in your control!
If this is an arraignment, you don't say anything without a lawyer, except not guilty and i want a Court appointed attorney!
That's my advice and I am not an attorney!
2007-03-27 02:34:34 · answer #5 · answered by cantcu 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
I would tell the Judge I want to be represented by a Lawyer. You should NEVER go to Court without one. YOU NEED A LAWYER!!!!!! The judge will say "Fine" and pospone the proceedings until you are represented.
You would be a VERY foolish person not to take my advice. The judge will ask if you have one and if you don't and cannot afford one, THE COURT WILL ASSIGN ONE TO YOU FOR FREE!!!!!
2007-03-27 02:31:52 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
I personally would try to stay out of a situation like that. Legally and morally you were wrong and having your baby with you is even worse. I think you should plead guilty. Show remorse - very important. Say you wont do it again and DON'T.
Good luck and let us now how it went.(If possible)
2007-03-27 02:43:42 · answer #7 · answered by Sleeping Beauty 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
GET A LAWYER!!! When in court, don't plead ANYTHING!!!! Tell them you have NOT consulted an attorney yet and need this date to be passed until you have that chance - it's your freakin' right!!!!!
2007-03-27 04:27:24 · answer #8 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In law and Order they always plea Not guilty... Right now I can only think on 3 reasons that leads someone to do what you did : crazy, bad or desperate. Let's say you were desperate and that's why you were unable to measure the consequences of you act. Just a desperate mother would use a child to commit a crime. Never say you plain on doing anything, tell you were there and because of your desperation you at the moment decided to do what you did. Tell you are a good person despite of what it seem, and isn't fair you been judged for an desperate isolated act.
2007-03-27 02:35:07 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 5⤋
You are guilty, so plead guilty. And if you get your kids taken away from you, which I doubt you will, that was a choice you made. And therefore you have to be woman enough to face the consequences of your actions. You did it, you pay. No other way.
2007-03-27 02:34:49 · answer #10 · answered by MNM 3 · 3⤊ 2⤋