What Happens if You're Caught Shoplifting While Pregnant

[Khuerta]

My question involves criminal law for the state of: Connecticut.
I am 7 months pregnant. I am 19 years old, today my mom dropped me off at the store to go shopping. Something came over me and I started shoplifting from a store. I got caught and charged with larceny 6th, possession of a shoplifting device, and interfering with an officer. I was simply asking the officer if I was under arrest and telling him I was pregnant and they said I was resisting. I had pliers and a screwdriver in my purse because I was setting up my daughters crib earlier that day and put them in my purse. What can I do? This is my first time offense. I am speaking with a therapist on Monday to discuss my impulsive behavior but this was extremely out of character. My court case is in 2 weeks. I had a very important job interview today. What can I do. Please help me.

[cbg]

Get a lawyer and don't speak to ANYONE else. Most people, when setting up a crib, don't put the pliers and screwdriver in their purse unless they are planning to use them somewhere else. You might be able to make someone believe that you didn't have shoplifting in mind when you did that. That someone won't be me, and it likely won't be the court either.

Tell me, why do you believe it matters that you are pregnant? Do you believe that being pregnant entitles you to be treated differently under the law that if you weren't? (Because it doesn't.)

[jk]

I work on my car at home. Do you think I put my tools in my pocket or wherever when I leave to go shopping?

dont expect others to believe your "assembling the crib" story either.

So what can you do?

hire an attorney or if you can't afford one, request a public defender at your hearing. Don't say anything to anybody until you have a lawyer and then speak only to him/her.

[Khuerta]

My question involves criminal law for the state of: Connecticut.
I am 19 years old and 7 months pregnant. Never have I been in trouble like this before. It was extremely out of character and impulsive. I got caught shoplifting and it's larceny 6th. They charged me with interfering with an officer and possession of a shoplifting device as wel.I am so scared, I give birth in 3 months and have job interviews lined up for me. I also started to go to therapy to discuss my impulsive behavior and fix it. My court date is in a few weeks but the waiting is stressing me and my unborn child out. I can't eat or sleep. WHAT CAN I DO? What are the chances they will dismiss the charges? I CANNOT afford an attorney. I will ask for a public defender when I go to court. But what can I do? I really made a huge mistake and have never done anything like this before. I don't want a criminal record.
And YES me being pregnant is a factor because I would NEVER have done anything like this before and HAVE NEVER done anything like this before. Before I get the negative comments, please keep in mind this is OUT OF CHARACTER and I'm going to therapy and was told I have bipolar tendencies that may have contributed to the impulsive risky behavior. I need ADVICE not judgement.

[Mark47n]

You've already asked this question and received an answer. If you have additional questions please confine them to the original thread.

I will comment a bit though, don't blame possibly being bipolar. I'm bipolar, pretty seriously bipolar. I'm medicated and if I don't take it I do some crazy stuff but it never made me do things that are out of character. Trust me, if you were bipolar to a degree that you impulsively stole stuff than there would be bipolar disorder not "tendencies" (whatever that means), so knock that off. I would blame it on yourself and being a stupid and impulsive teenager. Given that current scientific opinion is that the brain doesn't fully develop until people are 25 or so it would explain it, but not excuse it...it would explain so many things!

[readytoleave]

Also, if you arent speaking to a therapist till Monday, who told you that you have bipolar tendancies?

[jk]

Get a life you TROLL. I made a mistake. Your probably sitting at home bored with your life trolling people's questions. To make your own miserable life feel better. I have a mental condition. Grow up and get a life.

Being a a thief is not a recognized mental condition.

Taking tools to steal with you is not an impulse. It's a calculated activity. That is not the symptoms of a mental condition. It's the signs of a person of poor character.

[Mark47n]

You do have a mental condition it's called stupid. It's particularly common in teenagers, especially pregnant teenagers. I'll include the presumed teenaged fathers in that as well due to the incalulable stupid that it requires to avoid this easily avoided physical condition.

[Mark47n]

Also, if you arent speaking to a therapist till Monday, who told you that you have bipolar tendancies?

I hate that. A lot. I'm bipolar and didn't steal. I'm super bipolar and I don't steal.

Thanks for helping the cause of de-stigmatizing mental illness, you twit.

[Taxing Matters]

WHAT CAN I DO?

Get yourself a lawyer to advise and represent you. A criminal conviction for theft will make getting a job a whole lot harder as a lot of employers are not going to want to hire some who steals for fear that person will steal from them or their customers.

What are the chances they will dismiss the charges?

That depends on all the details of your case, and of course I don’t know that. But nothing you have posted so far suggests you have a good basis to win dismissal.

I CANNOT afford an attorney. I will ask for a public defender when I go to court. But what can I do?

Applying for the public defender is the best thing you can do since you cannot afford to pay for a private lawyer. Just understand that the public defender will have lot of other clients besides you and will likely not have a lot of time to spend talking to you and explaining things to you. Also understand that no lawyer, whether public defender or private counsel, is a wizard that can magically make a case go away. If the state has a solid case against you then even the best lawyer may not be able to keep you from being convicted.

I really made a huge mistake and have never done anything like this before. I don't want a criminal record.

It’s a little late for you to be worrying about avoiding a criminal record. You already have one — a record for arrest and charges on shoplifting. You might, however, qualify for one of the special programs for first offenders that can keep you out of jail/prison and can keep you from adding a criminal conviction to your record. A general description of those programs may be found here: Connecticut diversion programs

And YES me being pregnant is a factor because I would NEVER have done anything like this before and HAVE NEVER done anything like this before. Before I get the negative comments, please keep in mind this is OUT OF CHARACTER and I'm going to therapy and was told I have bipolar tendencies that may have contributed to the impulsive risky behavior. I need ADVICE not judgement.

I’m sorry, but pregnancy does not make women suddenly start taking up shoplifting or engage in other criminal activities. Very few pregnant women end up committing crimes, and those that do are not doing it because pregnancy made them crazy. Your other mental issues might have been a contributing factor, but simply being bipolar is not going to explain this either. You appear to have a good grasp of what is right and wrong, and I’ll bet you knew when you did the shoplifting it was wrong, too. But you did it anyway, and that’s a problem. Hopefully your therapy and treatment will help you and perhaps avoid similar incidents in the future, but your mental issues are not going to make a good defense for you on the current charges.