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Charged w/ petty theft for $20 worth of merchandise...? How to plea?
Anonymous4 views4 answers
I have a court day set up in a month or so and was wondering how should I plea?
My intent was not to steal though. I was trying on 3 articles of clothing and got a phone call so my first impulse was to throw everything into my bag because of having to leave in a hurry. Sunglasses case, wallet, cellphone, and must have thrown two items in by mistake. I know that may not sound convincing, but did happen. Since my story isn't quite believable I need help on what to say during my hearing... I'm at a standstill and pretty much don't know what to do from this point.
Sadly this just isn't a question we can asnwer for you. The person who does answer this question must:
1. Read the police report.
2. Go over that report with you to see where the cop screwed up the facts.
3. Get an indicated sentence from the judge.
4. Discuss the odds of you winning vs. the risk of you going to trial and getting more time than the indicated sentence.
Good luck.
If you are factually innocent about intent to steal, you should not plead guilty; petty theft is a moral turpitude crime that can come back to haunt you over the years in many ways, for jobs, government programs, future credibility on the witness stand, etc. But only you know what was in your head, and whether it can be proven. You must have an attorney.
