Wrongly Accused

[claires2]

My question involves criminal law for the state of: Massachusetts

Tonight i was w/ at the mall w/ one of my friends (both of us are 20 years old) and we went into Claire's. At Claire's, they have packs of earrings - i.e. 3 pairs = 1 pack. My friend wanted to buy one pack, but she didn't like one pair, so she went to switch them w/ a pair from another pack. Then she decided she didn't want any of them - so she just put everything back on the rack. One earring (1/2 a pair) must have dropped b/c later, we saw that only 1 earring from 1 pair was missing. The sales girls came over and asked her why she was stealing, and she told them she didn't steal anything and emptied everything she had and didn't have any earrings/any jewelry at all. They also made me do it. But they claimed that they saw her take something. Then she said, "I was just switching a pair of earrings w/ another one b/c I didn't want one." They said, "Yea, well then why is 1/2 a pair missing?" We searched everywhere on the ground for it, etc., and couldn't find it. And obviously it's half of a pair - why would she take only one?
So then they called security and a cop came and made this huge ordeal a/b how there was 1/2 a pair of a missing earring and it was stealing. and when she told them she didn't have the missing earring nor steal anything, he was like, "you still tampered w/ the earrings. it's the same thing." Then he took down her information/license, etc. and was like, "It's up to corporate claire's to see what they decide to do - you could get arrested or go to court or have to pay up to $500."
So my question is - what is the worst thing that could happen? Nothing was taken, nothing was found on her - or me. But then again, one earring was missing so i don't really know.
please help!

[panther10758]

Worst would depend on what your locals laws say on shoplifting. I would say

. probation
. fines less than $500.00
. Community service
. Ban from Claires
. Antishoplifting class

. Unrelated to court Civil Demand around $200.00

These are guesses. However if your innocent and they had no stolen property on you fight it.