Shoplifting Charges Help

[lucre]

I came home from college to visit my sisters who I was told was shoping at Wal-Mart. So I went in for a while and THen told them I would wait outside for them so I could smoke. Well, I smoked about two cigs which I say was 10 minutes. When my sisters came out and was followed by a Wal-Mart employee. Well, the employee seen me with my sisters at some point and time and said I knew when I really didn't. My sister said to the court she did it and took the charges with my other sister. But said I knew nothing of it. I worked well with the police that came telling them everything and showing them many proofs of who I was and my sisters was but still I have to go to court. I am worried that they will see me guilty because I guess from what the employee says that I was next to my sister when she stole some items. I didn't see it or I would have bought the items for her. Its just a misdeemer. but still I don't want it on my record. What advice can you give? Is shoplifting dropped if the court case doesn't go to court for a period of years? Cause wal-mart is trying to build the case and its been two years since then and they have been changing the date for two years. Well, that is about it. Would like any help anyone can give thank you.

[Mr. Knowitall]

If you were outside the store when your sister tried to remove the items from the store, and your sister claims you had nothing to do with her acts, you have a pretty good defense. But you should probably consult a criminal defense lawyer to assist you with resolving this matter - if a misdemeanor charge has been dragging on for two years, there's presumably a prosecutor involved who is not yet willing to dismiss. Your lawyer may be able to assert your speedy trial rights, as well, in the event that there has been a violation of those rights from the two-year delay.

[LP1186]

You should deffinately get a lawer! Especially considering this is a Wal-mart case. No offense to those who work LP at wal-mart, but it seems to me that half of the casses on here where LP have screwed up(as in this case) have come from wal-mart and i have spoke to other people who have been wrongfully accused of shoplifting from wal-mart. The LP agent had no right to stop you or charge you with anything. Even if you were right there when the girls stole the merchandise, if you did not physically take part in it, you have not commited a crime. You would have had to physically remove the item from the shelf and hand it to your sister with the intentions of her stealing it, or opened a bag/purse so that she could concealan item in it for you to be charged with a crime. All you did is smoke some cigarets, which last time i checked is not a crime. I am not a legal expert, but I do work loss prevention so i have some experience with this.