Can You Get Theft Charges Dropped

My question involves criminal law for the state of: Mississippi
I went shopping at Belk.* Picked up 5 shirts.* One black tank top, one green long sleeve, one blue striped sweater, one nude tank top and one black dress shirt.* I took all of the items back to the dressing room.* I removed the tags from the green shirt and the blue striped sweater while trying them on.* I left the tags on the lobby table.* I left the black dress shirt and blue striped sweater in the dressing room.* I placed the green long sleeve on a rack on my way to the cash register.* I purchased the black tank top for less than 10$. I received a call from my boyfriend who needed me to pick him up after his surgery. **I walked out of the store still wearing the nude tank top, with the tag on it.* I was stopped by a while male identifying himself as loss prevention.* I immediately told him I had the shirt on and gave him my purse as I was escorted into the back room.* I was told it was “too late to purchase or give back the shirt” and after asking if I was going to be taken to jail, I was told that “it all depended on if I lied to him and how I acted.”* I was questioned about the other shirts but the loss prevention employee received the* shirts in questioning, two from the dressing room and one from the rack where I placed it. I gave my school ID to the employees who made copies of my ID and took pictures of the nude shirt I wore out of the store, along with the blue striped sweater and green long sleeve shirt that I “damaged.” * The*tags from the*three shirts were also photographed together.**I was told *I could be held responsible for paying for damages done to the shirts (taking the tags off two of the shirts) *which was a total of $67.99.* I signed a Civil Demand Customer Notice and was taken to jail and charged with a misdemeanor.

What is going to happen? Is there any way I can get this charges dropped? What advantages do I have if I fight this?

You can consult a local criminal defense lawyer about the possibility of your qualifying for a deferral or diversion program, if available, based upon the full facts. We don't have enough information to comment.

I don't see why the store would want to drop the charges. You were caught stealing and appear to be telling us that you confessed. If by "fight" you mean go to trial, I'm not sure what defense you are hoping to present.

What more information do you need?

Any charges can be dropped it doesn't mean the odds are in your favor,the person above is basically saying it's an extreme long shot to get the case dropped b.c if you do go to trail chance are you will lose. Sometimes with a good lawyer since it's a small amount maybe they will drop the charge but that can be hard,sometimes courts have a diversion program which dismiss the charge if you stay out of trouble for a certain amount of time. The diversion program is meant for 1st time offenders who are charged with minor crimes,you might have a chance to take advantage of that if your local court has that. Sometimes you can also get the charged reduced to a non criminal one or something like disorderly conduct for example. (it's still a crime probably in your state but it sounds better then a theft conviction. You want to get a lawyer and work with them to get best outcome available that will limit the damage,you got look at this long term also. Your probably looking at a fine,maybe probation and a shop lifting class but this conviction can affect getting a job,renting a place and other things. It's important to be proactive and work with your lawyer for the best outcome. If you can't afford a lawyer plead not guilty and see if you can get a public defender for free or at a reduce cost.

good luck.

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Quoting taylor94

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What more information do you need?

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You could provide pictures. It won't help the fact you attempted to steal the tank top, however, it would lighten up the site a bit.