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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    1

    Unhappy Looking for Helpful Information

    My question involves criminal law for the state of: Washington

    I shoplifted from Wal-Mart in Washington state. I know it was wrong and now I'm about to deal with the consequences. I'm not mentally stable and I've spent the last 9 years with severe depression (I'm only 21). I haven't found a treatment that has been helpful or effective. This is NOT an excuse, but it is the reason for shoplifting. I found that shopping or "retail therapy" would temporarily relieve my depression and this worked fine while I had a job. My lack of mental stability has caused me to be fired from every job I've had. I then turned to credit cards to shop and maxed 2 of them (yes I am kicking myself really hard now because I have no income and no way to pay them off). So after the loss of my 15 year old dog I pretty much went off the deep end becoming suicidal and dropping out of college. My grandmother is also very sick with cancer so my family has been going through a stressful time. I was desperate for an escape from my life and relief from my depressed mood so I stole. I knew it was wrong, but all I could think about was distracting my mind away from my life. I'm used to screwing myself over in life, but this is the first time it has been a legal issue. I did steal, I got caught, I was cooperative, police were called and the report was filed over the phone, I was not arrested as the police didn't come to the store, and then I was released by the loss prevention people. I'm not sure what to do in court. I wanted to get a lawyer, but a friend told me I would just be screwing myself over even more by getting myself into deeper financial/legal problems. My hope is that I won't get theft on my record. I've read of some people getting a civil infraction although I'm not positive what that is just that it's a lesser charge. I'm willing to pay fines (hopefully though community service as I have no income). If I plead guilty I will most likely be sentenced right then (right?) and I won't have any time to talk about other options. It doesn't make sense to plead not guilty when I obviously did it. I'm working really hard to find effective treatment, currently working with my doctor, counselor, and psychiatrist, and coming to a point of this being so serious and refractory that one of the options we are looking into is ECT. I just don't want to fight so hard to beat my mental problems and when I'm finally successful I then have this theft charge hindering my life. At the time I didn't think of this, but when I had the urge to steal to relieve my symptoms I should have contacted my counselor immediately. It's like my common sense disappears and then when I'm dealing with the consequences I'm like what the h*ll was I thinking? I got my court papers in the mail today (Tuesday) and my court date Monday. How do I go about discussing alternative punishment to a third degree theft charge without a lawyer? I've tried researching this, but I'm not getting anywhere (not sure if this is because I suck at learning this court business or if my brain is just 'broken' from the withdrawal of the meds I am getting off of). I dug myself in a giant hole and I'm praying for a kind soul to help me out of it. Or at least throw me a water bottle so I don't get dehydrated down here lol. THANK YOU to anyone who read my entire long long long post.




  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Earth
    Posts
    207

    Default Re: Looking for Helpful Information

    You need a lawyer; since you don't have any money you should ask the court to appoint counsel for you.

    And YES, you should DEFINITELY plead not guilty. It doesn't matter whether you did it or not; everyone does (or should) plead not guilty. There's always plenty of time to change your plea to guilty later, after the prosecutor has agreed to drop the charge down to an infraction in exchange. You might qualify for a diversion program which will keep a conviction off your record outright.

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