Fired For Retail Theft

I worked at a major retailer in Illinois as a pharmacist. Someone in the pharmacy said that I had "put a bottle" in my pocket. I have no such bottle. This medication is $4. I do have a prescription for this medication, but in a different dose plus I get my medications through mail order. Loss prevention says that they have me on tape doing this. I asked to see the tape since something is not right here. They refused to let me see the tape. I was handcuffed, arrested, fingerprinted and released after posting bond. I am freaking out! I already suffer from PTSD as it is. My reputation has already been trashed and I live in a small town. My profressional license may be affected by this not to mention that I may not be able to get hired anywhere else because of this. They kept asking me "to admit to it" that "tapes don't lie". I swear that I have no idea what they are talking about and yet I am now a criminal. I am so scared by all of this.

No you are not as you have not yet (and may not be) convicted. Contact a criminal Defense Attorney and discuss your defense

I'm in the process of trying to find an attorney. I have read other posts regarding a "diversion program". What is this? I have not taken anything, yet I am afraid of what the tape may suggest as it obviously must show something that my former employers took as stealing, otherwise why would they have fired me? I am very worried about what this could do to my professional license and how this could affect my ability to obtain future employment.

When you hire an Attorney ask to see video through discovery process

So far I am unable to afford any attorney I have contacted since I am now unemployed. I looked into a diversion program in Illinois and one of the conditions of probation is a videotaped statement admitting guilt. How am I supposed to admit guilt when I didn't take anything? What if the court decides I'm guilty because the tape may make it appear that I am? Do I say that I'm guilty even if I'm not in order to request that program? Don't innocent people get to take advantage of such programs? I am at such a loss right now. I have no idea what to do.

Just because you cant afford an Attorney doenst mean you dont get one! When you appea rin court request a public defender

If you didn't steal anything, they don't have a tape of you stealing anything. I'm a little suspicious that you have so little confidence in that fact.

You need to have an attorney. Your attorney needs to get a copy of the tape, the loss prevention report and all other documents related to the incident. It also wouldn't hurt to get their inventory records for the alleged item before and after the date of the incident.

Something doesn't read right in your posts and I am not so sure that you telling the truth 100% on the forum.

Well, I am telling the truth. See what I mean? I've never had anything like this happen to me before. Not even a ticket. Nothing. I plan on going to court and saying that I'm not guily as that is the truth. My concern is that tape. If one person misread something what's to say that another person won't assume the same thing? I'm an adult. If I did something I would admit to it and suffer the consequences of my actions. We all have choices and with each choice is a consequence, good or bad. My livelyhood is extremely important to me and my family. I care about my name and reputation. I'm not some kid that got off on stealing something. I make enough money (excuse me, made) that I would not steal $4 worth of merchandise yet alone place my professional license in jeopardy by doing so. The fact is I'm scared because I don't know what to expect. I have worked my entire adult life. I support my family. I have pride in what I do and it matters to me what people think of me. I need to know that the people I worked with don't believe this of me. I know that I didn't take anything. What I don't understand is how there is this "tape" that suggests otherwise and why management would keep trying to get me to admit that I had taken something. You think something's not right in what I'm saying? Well, I agree with you. Something's definitely wrong and I don't understand any of it. The item I supposedly took was a medication that requires close monitoring. It has no street value, it's not a controlled substance and produces no immediate effect whatsoever. It has no value except to the person that has a deficiency, and like I said, this has to be monitored closely with twice-yearly blood work after an initial every 3 month test to get the dosing correct. $4 to throw away a career and reputation? Hell no.

If you did not do what your accused of the the tape will reveal that. If the tape was misinterpted then you and your counsel can point that out in court.

Also, it all depends on what was actually seen. Only because you had a bottle, that does not mean that it was not your own. Or, if your story is true, you may have 1) proof that you got a prescription from the doctor before the alleged theft; 2) the possibility to have your doctor say so, and 3) proof that you bought it (that, too, before, not after).

I'm curious. Was this a narcotic?

It sounds like Lithium, used for bi-polar disorders. A lot of Wal-Mart prescriptions are $4. It's a real stain for the pharma industry because they (Pharma) can't put high-quality generic ndrugs on the market anymore. A relative takes a generic and they can take the Target generic $12, but not the $4 Wal-Mart generic. ...it's all about the fillers. There is a company in Inida that can produce generic formularies for about 1/3 what an Northam American facily can produce it for in the States or Canada. For the most part the only difference is the filler used to create the pill.

Trust me when I said that if LP actually HAD a tape showing you committing the crime they WOULD have shown it to you and asked you to sign a confession right there. LP is allowed to lie to you just as a police officer is allowed to lie to you (Supreme Court ruling). Don't believe a word they say and get a good criminal defense attorney. After you are acquitted (found not guilty), get an employment attorney and stick it to Wal-Mart.

Well, a year later and things are slowly moving along. The tape finally surfaced and did not show me taking anything proving what I had been telling the whole time was the truth, however, the state still wanted to move forward. I have no idea why. In order to save time and money, I entered a 2nd chance program, paid $300 and called someone every 2 weeks. This program was supposed to last 6 months, but the judge dismissed my case after 5 weeks-no evidence. It then took several more months and a lot of money to have my records sealed/expunged, but worth it because I don't have to worry about my professional license anymore. The district manager has since been tranferred to a different district and the person who lied about the situation still works there. I have been through hell and back for more than a year now because of her lie. I saw the tape. I never even touched my pocket. Now what do I do? I want to sue my former employer for all that happened and the emotional pain that it has caused me and still causes me when I see someone who saw me get arrested and put in the police car. What do I do now? Where do I go? My lawyer was great, but she is in a small firm and they're "afraid" of taking on the big W company.

wow, i am so sorry to hear that. i am experiencing the similiar problem. I am a pharmacy tech, still working on my Pharm D in college. I was wrongfully accused for theft by a major pharmacutical retail store. I went to an attorney coz i can't go any further by myself.
I am just wondering if there any other reason that company might want to dismiss you. If there is one, you might want to mention that on the court, that will help your case. I been in retails for many years, LP or HR those people sometimes do that to screw over somebody they think are "problem employee".

wish all the best.