Breaking and Entering in Michigan

[Jsparks]

My question involves criminal law for the state of: Michigan

I was wandering around at like 5 am cuz I couldn't sleep and I went around back of a restaurant and I noticed the light was on in the back entrance so I opened the UNLOCKED door went in and an alarm went off in the building next to me so naturally as a 17 year old I GTFO later I went back cuz I'm a retard and a police officer was there and he arrested me because he looked at cameras and the owner of the building said I broke in.

Uhmm the light was on and the door was unlocked. Can I really be charged for that?

[LawResearcherMissy]

Uhmm the light was on and the door was unlocked. Can I really be charged for that?

Yes. Or unlawful entry, at the very least.

"I couldn't sleep, and the door was unlocked anyway" is not going to be much of a defense when the judge asks you what the hell you were doing in someone else's building without permission at 5AM.

Get a lawyer, you need one.

[Jsparks]

He arrested me and told me to go home afterwards when can I expect to be notified if I'm being charged or not?

[BOR]

Uhmm the light was on and the door was unlocked. Can I really be charged for that?

What you did was tresspass, at minimum.

States do not generally classify a B&E on the premise of if a door was locked or not. Opening an unlocked door and walking in "may" constitute B&E, Burglary?? You did not have to "bust in/pick a lock".

Did he inform you under what charge he arrested you on??

[BOR]

He arrested me and told me to go home afterwards when can I expect to be notified if I'm being charged or not?

No way to predict that. The officer may have forwarded the report to the detective bureau or to the city/county prosecutor for evaluation.

[Jsparks]

Nah he just told me about the tapes and asked me if I had anything to say I just told him the truth and he told me it's up to the owner if he wants to press charges and he told me that they could charge me with B&E or trespassing..

If you need more backstory I was wandering town and taking pictures of random things, I like to photo-edit etc and I was trying to get on a building to get a street-view picture, honestly my town is beautiful in the nighttime because they light up the trees and the street is wonderful, so I was taking pictures of the town so it looked really suspicious I can imagine.

[BOR]

Nah he just told me about the tapes and asked me if I had anything to say I just told him the truth and he told me it's up to the owner if he wants to press charges and he told me that they could charge me with B&E or Trespassing.

I see, they are probably waiting on if the owner does indeed wish to press charges.

Since there is a video of you, the only logical thing to do, if charges are indeed forthcoming, is to plead guilty and ask the court for leniency, first time offender and all.

Of course, if charges do come, YOU have to decided how you wish to plead, no one can make that decision for you!!!

You are only 17, make sure you tell the Judge, if you plead guilty, you want a FRESH start in life, what you did was very wrong an you will not repeat it, be remorseful. If he sentences you to probation, stay clean.

Good luck.

[Jsparks]

Aight, thanks man, hopefully he doesn't press charges, will it help if I go tonight and talk with the owner and tell him what I did was wrong, I didn't know, I promise I won't do it again or will that just make things worse?

[BOR]

Aight, thanks man, hopefully he doesn't press charges, will it help if I go tonight and talk with the owner and tell him what I did was wrong, I didn't know, I promise I won't do it again or will that just make things worse?

I am not a police officer or attorney, but my advice is, NO, do NOT enter his business for ANY reason, it "may" be considered intimidation of a witness or some such related law!!

Make your remorse known through the police/prosecutor's office to try to forward any apology, etc., to him.

If you want to approach the business owner, do it through an attorney OR accompanied by a police officer.

Best of luck!!

[aaron]

Since there is a video of you, the only logical thing to do, if charges are indeed forthcoming, is to plead guilty and ask the court for leniency, first time offender and all.

The logical thing to do, if charged, would be to consult a criminal defense lawyer and try to find a way to avoid a criminal conviction. Pleading guilty results in conviction.