Is it Discrimination for a Store to Monitor a Blind Shoplifter

My question involves criminal law for the state of: Utah.
First off, I want to start out with I know what I did was incredibly stupid and wrong, but I was caught shoplifting from walmart. The total of stuff was $37(I had the Monet to buy it) the only reason I did it was for my psychology class homework to break a social norm) stupid I know, I needed something better!! Anyway, I had all intent to purchace the merchandise. Cops were called and I now have a court date set. My thing is, can I get walmart for discrimination? I'm legally blind, and I came into walmart with my cane, they followed me from the beginning of the store and labeled me suspicious because how I had to get close to things(like insanely close) and it was not normal..I take full responsibility for the stuff I took, and kept telling them I was gonna pay!! I didn't directly go to the dept and start stuffing stuff..any advise?

As your professor advised you, "Do not break the law in your selection". The truth is you are a thief. My stepdaughter put on fairy wings and she and my son spent a few hours at the mall. Nothing was harmed but societies perception of her sanity. Perhaps instead you should sing the praises of Walmart security who were so concerned about the adult with the blind person cane, they monitored them to make sure assistance was not needed.

Printed in large, bold, text to ease reading.

The reason I did it was not the issue, ok, I said I was incredibly stupid, it's the fact I was followed the whole time because of my disability.

See my response. You should thank them for being so concerned for your welfare.

Quote:

---

Quoting ChelseaLynn

---

it's the fact I was followed the whole time because of my disability.

---

no, they followed you because you were suspicious and their suspicions were shown to be valid by the fact you were in fact stealing.




Ya know, it is really REALLY stupid to steal if you are a blind person. How do you know who is watching you? In fact, how do you know they were following you at all?

and your insanely close would be to your eyes, like in right out there in the open, about or around head level, kind of above the shoulders and above any place on your body that would allow you to conceal the merchandise,


unless it was Q-tips or pick up sticks. You could shove those in your ears to hide them.

Shoplifters aren't a protected class. Further, watching someone closely is not discrimination even if they did it because you were disabled. Your excuses are spurious. Sell the Monet and use the money to hire an attorney. You need one now.

Quote:

---

Quoting flyingron

---

Shoplifters aren't a protected class. Further, watching someone closely is not discrimination even if they did it because you were disabled. Your excuses are spurious. Sell the Monet and use the money to hire an attorney. You need one now.

---

I missed that. OP even capitalized it.

Quote:

---

Anyway, I had all intent to purchace the merchandise.

---

Horsepuckey. People with intent to pay put their merchandise in a cart or basket, then they go to the checkout and PAY. They certainly don't make up some BS excuse about "breaking a social norm" homework. No professor would advise such nonsense, as Disagreeable notes above. I had the same homework years ago when pursuing my teaching credentials, and my professor was very clear that breaking the law would earn an F for the entire course. You couldn't dress up like Lady Gaga or something? Sheesh.

Quote:

---

My thing is, can I get walmart for discrimination?

---

Oh dear gods, I laughed so hard, I almost peed.

In what universe do you imagine that it's discrimination to keep a close eye on a shoplifter? Or for loss prevention to follow anyone at all? They're doing their job - it's even right in the name of the department! No, it's not discrimination for them to follow you around.

You desperately need an attorney, because if you try the "it was for homework", the judge is going to ask you just how stupid you think he is, and throw the book at you. Lawyer up, kid.

What's this "Said Rumination" all about?

Quote:

---

Quoting eerelations

---

What's this "Said Rumination" all about?

---

while I suspect OP is using it to refer to something with this definition:

Quote:

---

• Rumination (psychology), contemplation or reflection, which may become persistent and recurrent worrying or brooding

---

but I think it is more likely accurately used in this definition, at least such that the result of the rumination are what we are being presented with

Quote:

---

• Rumination, the digestive process of ruminants

---

and just for clarity sake, a cow is a ruminant and if you limit it to male cattle, the result would be bullshit.

I'm sorry, but am I the only one going to hell for wondering how the hell OP saw them following her all this time?!?

One aspect of her disability is that she walks - well I guess limps would be more accurate - backwards.

- - - Updated - - -

Uh-oh suddenly she's no longer ruminating, she's blind - wow things get more interesting every minute!

Perhaps she is not truly blind and wants to sue under the perception of having a disability clause!!!

Quote:

---

Quoting viol8te

---

I'm sorry, but am I the only one going to hell for wondering how the hell OP saw them following her all this time?!?

---

Quote:

---

Quoting viol8te

---

I'm sorry, but am I the only one going to hell for wondering how the hell OP saw them following her all this time?!?

---

Only one? You mean like that other poster that brought it up in post #5

OP is legally blind.

OP is caught stealing after being followed.

The blindness didn't cause Chelsea to rethink the decision to steal - she sure as hell isn't going convince anyone it was illegal discrimination.

Oh, Chelsea? Stop stealing. And stop playing the "Oh but I'm legally blind and and and and you can't be mean to me and you can't have me followed and arrested for stealing and oh what do you mean I was actually caught stealing that's not fair!" card.

I'm hearing impaired and have a back injury. I guess that is why they followed me, huh? Not because I was trying to find something to steal?

Quote:

---

Quoting jk

---

no, they followed you because you were suspicious and their suspicions were shown to be valid by the fact you were in fact stealing.




Ya know, it is really REALLY stupid to steal if you are a blind person. How do you know who is watching you? In fact, how do you know they were following you at all?

and your insanely close would be to your eyes, like in right out there in the open, about or around head level, kind of above the shoulders and above any place on your body that would allow you to conceal the merchandise,


unless it was Q-tips or pick up sticks. You could shove those in your ears to hide them.

---

Ah, birds of a feather...

If you are blind how did you know security was following you?

Yo, people.

Do y'all not know what "legally blind" actually means?

It doesn't mean "completely unable to see", put it that way.

Yeah, I know. But it was too excellent an opportunity to be a butthead for me to pass up.

Beavis! :D

Quote:

---

Quoting Dogmatique

---

Yo, people.

Do y'all not know what "legally blind" actually means?

It doesn't mean "completely unable to see", put it that way.

---

yes but OP was using that as an excuse they had to hold the merchandise very close to them to be able to see it. If their sight is that bad, seeing somebody walking 20+ feet away from them is not very realistic.

Oh, I know she is. And it's one of the most spectacular attempts at justification I've ever seen.

Meh. She's probably a Cowboys fan, too.

;) :D