Shoplifting Case In Florida
I am doing a PhD at a College in Florida.
My wife is accused of shoplifting and received a notice to appear. She, my mother-in law and my 2 months old daughter went to a shop for shopping and got a bra ($22 on the tag but $9.99 after the discount) and put it on the stroller. Then they went to look for a pair of shoes found one but couldn't find the right size. Then my daughter started crying and to see her they take the blanket and opened the curtain of the stroller which fell on the bra and made it covered. Then they went to fitting room to change my daughters diapers. After that they spend 15-20 minutes and left the store. They completely forgot to pay the item because it was covered with the blanket on the stroller.
Then they went to another store and spent 15 minutes or so in the other store. When they exit the other store the security of the shop that they took the item approached them and took my wife in to custody for 1 hour until the officers arrival.
This is more or less how it went, now we have first appearance and what should we do?
1) I heard that writing a letter to the district attorney helps, is that right? What advices would you give?
2) What happens at the first appearance?
Thanks.
Re: Shoplifting Case In Florida
Quote:
Quoting
gnvsearscase
Then my daughter started crying and to see her they take the blanket and opened the curtain of the stroller which fell on the bra and made it covered. Then they went to fitting room to change my daughters diapers. After that they spend 15-20 minutes and left the store. They completely forgot to pay the item because it was covered with the blanket on the stroller.
That's a story the prosecutor has heard dozens, perhaps hundreds, of times. Whatever occurred in your wife's case, at least 99% of the time it's false.
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Quoting gnvsearscase
1) I heard that writing a letter to the district attorney helps, is that right? What advices would you give?
The D.A. doesn't want a letter from you. What your wife needs to do is get help from a criminal defense lawyer.
Quote:
Quoting gnvsearscase
2) What happens at the first appearance?
At an arraignment? The defendant is formally charged and has the opportunity to enter a plea.
Re: Shoplifting Case In Florida
Whoever told you to write a letter to DA was a moron. follow the instructions Mr. K gave you consult a criminal defense Attorney
Re: Shoplifting Case In Florida
Thanks for the help Mr. K and panther. I will talk to a defense attorney.
Re: Shoplifting Case In Florida
...writing a letter to the DA...
The DA would love that; it makes their case so much easier. They really like letters where someone says that they are a Christian and would never do this.
<that's sarcasm. Never ever ever send a letter to the DA. Even if she is sentenced to write a letter, it would be presented by an attorney to the court and would likely be to the retailer>
In all honesty, there is no reason to pay for everything and steal a $9 bra. ...in the past, when I worked in the credit office, I would have allowed them to pay for it and watched them in the store in the future; for something that small my manager never involved police.
...but nowadays some stores have a "zero tolerance" and others have a "$25 tolerance."