State: Michigan Walmart
Crime: Shoplifting
Defendants: male age 25 and female age 24
Records: First time offense
We were accused of removing security devices from $103 worth of DVDs and placing them into a purse before leaving the premises. Although the alarms went off, we were approached too quickly for the secret shopper/security personnel not to have suspected us in advance. We were immediately grabbed and I was eventually tackled to the ground. They ripped my friend’s designer purse and coat in the process. While neither one of us fought back, the female employee was being rough with my friend and later claimed that my friend tried striking her. The male grabbing me admitted that I tried to break free, but he said it was only to help my friend. The cops were called before the incident began and arrived on the scene within five minutes. I was compliant and they cuffed me as I was escorted to the security room where I provided them with my i.d. and verified that the DVDs were all that we had. While my face was left badly scratched/bruised, they contemplated pressing assault charges, which mentioned shouldn’t be necessary, against my friend but told the cop they needed to talk to the manager (who wasn’t at the site). My friend and I were served the Walmart “no trespassing” papers, but we haven’t signed anything. My friend and I were then driven to the local station for finger printing and mug shots, where we learned that the Walmart manager informed her people to press assault charges against my friend. To prove to the assault charge being bogus, my friend and I were half the size of each of our attackers/restrainers. Both attackers left the incident without any signs of a struggle while I looked like Mike Tyson’s punching bag and my friend had ripped clothing. While separated, my friend and I were asked by the cops if they Walmart employee’s introduced themselves and we both stated “No.” We opted not to make a statement and were released from the station, but we still haven’t received citations or other paperwork from the state and it has been a month. Our Walmart Civil Orders came last week and we’re still trying to figure out what to do. I’ve learned my lesson, but their violence seemed extremely unnecessary and I’m hoping to move on as cleanly as possible. My primary objective is to keep a clean record and the minimal fine would be ideal after that. Any advice would be greatly appreciated and reduce my stress load significantly.

