If you say that you went to a store with the intent to steal (because my friend had an exacto knife on him) instead of unintentionally do you get a harsher punishment? Thanks in advance for your help.
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If you say that you went to a store with the intent to steal (because my friend had an exacto knife on him) instead of unintentionally do you get a harsher punishment? Thanks in advance for your help.
You mean, if you go to court and say that you had the intent when you went to the store?
It is possible; but with teenage shoplifters the courts probably infer that most had the intent to steal when they went "shopping".
What do you hope to gain by stating that you had this intention, assuming nobody asks?
The only main reason that it my friend would say he had the intention of doing this is he had an exacto knife in his pocket and the cop told him it is a felony to carry it for self defense. So he is contemplating whether he will be asked about the knife in court if he pleads guilty and if so it him saying he brought it to cut open boxes would show intent I believe