Re: Shoplifting in Ohio

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Is there any chance that with an attorney, after pleading not
guilty, at any point the judge will dismiss charges?

Thanks again

On 11/02/05, M'sta Mikey wrote:
> On 11/02/05, ohiofemale wrote:
>> I am 21 year old female in Ohio and I was stopped by loss-
>> prevention employees in a department store yesterday. I
>> had gone into a dressing room, removed the tags of a
>> sweater, put the sweater on and then put my coat on over
>> the sweater. I then left the dressing room and put the
>> tags of the sweater into a pair of pants. I walked out
>> the first set of doors to the store,9the doors before the
>> actual outside door) and the loss prevention woman
>> approached me. They told me they had video surveillance
>> of me placing the tags of a sweater I did not pay for in
>> another pair of jeans and walking out with the sweater.
>> However, all through the process I denied intentional
>> guilt and said it was unintentional and I didn't realize I
>> was walking off with the sweater. They came back holding
>> video tapes but I don't know of they were simply bluffing
>> with these tapes. They called the police and gave me a
>> blue ticket and I am scheduled to appear in court in two
>> days. I went to speak to some run-of-the-mill phone book
>> criminal attorney, and he told me his fee was a flat $500,
>> that he would most likely "win" the case, etc. Was he
>> telling me th truth or just trying to get my money? My
>> main question is...what do I do? Is it worth it to pay
>> for the attorney, since I intend to plead not guilty. In
>> Ohio am I qualified for this "diversion" I am reading
>> about? This is my first offense and after the officer
>> read me my Miranda Rights I told him I had no intent to
>> steal the sweater, there was no malice, it was a
>> misunderstanding, etc. Does the fact that I told the
>> police officer that I had no "intent" of stealing the
>> sweater matter. Isn't stealing based in "intent" anyway?
>> Basically, can the $500 attorney help me, is he worth it?
>> And ultimately, what can he in theory do to reduce the
>> charges.
>> Please help, I really need to know of it is worth the $500
>> attorney fee.
>> Any advice appreciated.
>
> Shoplifting is shoplifting - plain and simple! Intent or no
> intent, if you take something that you did not pay for, it's
> shoplifting.
>
> Spend the $500 - it's worth it. You may qualify for a
> diversion program but there is no gaurantee that the judge
> will grant you such. With an attorney, you stand a much
> better chance.
>