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dumbo22 · Sep 14, 2006, 02:14 AM

OK just recently I was stupid and stole 2 cds from a store and got caught it was like 25 dollars or something.. im 18 just graduated never have broken the law or had a criminal record and I don't want that to happen. I would do anything for this to happen willing to pay for cds and everything I don't know I did it honestly thought id get away with it probably shows its my first time if I get caught haha.I admit guilt and plead guilty and everything I go to court on oct 30 I don't want this to ruin my life at such a young age I wanan go to school in fact I was going to be a fire fighter but don't think it be happening anymore can you guys help tell me what you think will happen:( thank u:D I live in canada by the way

ScottGem · Sep 14, 2006, 05:28 AM

First, you should get an attorney. Then have that attorney try to negotiate a settlement with the store. The fact that you have no record, should help. You will probably have to make full restitution and agree not to go into that store again. But as a 1st time offender, you should be able to keep this out of the court and off your record.

dumbo22 · Sep 14, 2006, 02:36 PM

OK.. I don't know anything about court how it works or lawyers etc I guess because I have never been in this situation before. I don't know how to get an attourney and does it cost lots of money? I'm currently unemployed because I quit my job before I went on a vacttion to because because they wouldn't let me take and had a job when I came home. But the thing is broke my hand and no one will hire me because of it. My parents don't know and I don't want them to know because ill be afailure to them and to be honest ill get kicked out and have my life **** the bag even more because of being so dumb.. this incident happened sept 12 and my court is oct 30 in what time frame do you think I should do all of this if I can.. and I thank you aagin for you help

ScottGem · Sep 14, 2006, 03:35 PM

Check out the local Legal Aid or equivalent. You need to act immediately. You want to avoid going to court. Once you do it will be on your record.

dumbo22 · Sep 14, 2006, 04:08 PM

Okay my investigating officer told me to go to the court and ask for that free lawyer and say ill do the amp program and all this ****.. does an attorney cost lots of money?

excon · Sep 14, 2006, 04:47 PM

Hello dumbo:

Yes, a good attorney costs lots of money. How much do you think a fire fighter makes in his lifetime versus a clerk at 7-eleven. Isn't it worth getting a few bucks together??

Second thing. DON'T get your legal advice from the cops who arrested you!

excon

Fr_Chuck · Sep 14, 2006, 05:06 PM

I will agree with excon on this one, I did not read all of the posts (eyes hurting tonight) but in general unless you get that 1 in 100,000,000 police officer they are not there to be your friend, and they are not going to try and tell you how to get off, if they wanted you off, they would not have charged you.

If you start with a criminal record, it will stay on for years before you can try and get it explunged, if they would do it. It can effect how much you earn for the rest of your life, It an stop you from getting a lot of jobs.

Borrow from mom and dad, sell your car, hock your sterio, but get an good attorney. If this is your first offence it is likely they can work a deal with the DA to do some level of community service, pay back all the money of the items you took, and then dismiss the case in 6 months to a year if you don't get into any trouble. It will mean going back to court in that year, but then the case is dismissed, so the conviction would never show up.

Unless he can get you found not guilty somehow.

CaptainForest · Sep 14, 2006, 07:48 PM

This is Canada.

First thing to remember is that the odds that you will NOT get any jail time from this incident are probably the same odds that Karla Homolka will take advantage of another child. That is, you probably won't get any jail time, while Ms. Homolka (Teale, whatever) will probably take advantage of someone else.

I was going to ask when is your birthday, when did you turn 18. But since this incident just happened 2 days ago, and you said you are 18, I take it you were 18 at the time of incident on Sept 12?

So, moving on…
Since you are 18, you have no legal responsibility to tell your folks. And I can understand why you will be afraid.

However, telling them shows a sign of maturity. Yes, you stole and that is very bad. But own up to your mistake with them. That is what adults do.

Now on to your case. Whether you tell them, you will need a lawyer.

Another option is to simply go to the store, speak with them and try to get them agree to drop the charged (for a fee of course).

There are many options here.

Your lawyer could ask the court to allow you to make full restitution and some community service, etc.

Look, the bets advice here, as the others have said is this: GET A LAWYER.

But, before you do that, TELL YOUR PARENTS.

If you want to be a firefighter, then you need to be able to show honestly. Be able to talk to people, even if it is a difficult conversation. Also, you need to learn how to own up to your mistakes. Tell your parents what you did. Surprisingly, most parents aren't that bad. They will be mad you stole, but at least you are being mature about it.

ScottGem · Sep 15, 2006, 05:31 AM

You haven't been listening. YOU DO NOT WANT THIS TO GO TO COURT!! If you do as the cop suggested then you will be arraigned and it will go on your record. YOU DO NOT WANT THAT TO HAPPEN!! So you need to head this off BEFORE the court date.

Yes a good lawyer can cost a lot, but this is a relatively simple matter that almost any decent lawyer can handle with very little time to invest.

I agree you should tell your parents. They will be upset, but you are still their child and they will stand by you.

dumbo22 · Sep 25, 2006, 12:05 AM

But say when I go to court and ask the lawyer that's there for free and say I will do comuity service pay for cds what you think will happen

U guys I have to be the dumbest kid you will ever meet recently I was drunk at a party not knowing what I was doing and took some stuff.. I woke up next mournin nnot beleving what I have done and called up the owners and gave it back they were very happy I appolgized all this crap and gave it back some other kid took stuff or they think he did because lots of stuff was stolen at this party the rents do not want me to get charged they decided not too I had to go I and do a statement and cop thinks I lien saying I trying not to rat on this kid.. and whne I went in there the cop said 99.9 chance of me not getting charged my mom knows this she came with me but doesn't know about walmart incident though after tape the cop mad at me saying I lienin and said that chances of me getting charged has changed went to 20 percent to 80 of not getting charged now.. I recently talked to the kid thy think stole some stuff and he said they called him and asked him questions he said that cops said parents don't want to charge me but I'm getting charged because I'm over 18 blah blah now can the cop charge me even if the onwers don't want to

ScottGem · Sep 25, 2006, 05:40 AM

First, police usually lie about such things. In a burglary case, there usually needs to be a complainant to press charges. If the owners decide not to press charges against you, the prosecutor can't do anything. However, if the owners feel they need to press charges against you to get the other kid, then they may change their mind.

Again you need an attorney to wade through this for you. But if it's a choice between being charged and telling the truth about this other kid, then tell the truth.

As for the Walmart thing, you don't seem to be listening to us. If you go to court to get a Legal Aid atty, you will be charged. You want to head off getting charged.

dumbo22 · Sep 25, 2006, 05:20 PM

I thank you so much for your help I'm so scared right now I actraully got to be the dumbest kid I won't lie thought of suicide been on my mind sometimes just because I been so upset.. I understand if you think I'm a crminal a theft I understand.. I did not lie to the cops because I don't know what happened I was so drunk the kid blammed it all on me though so no madder what I do I bet they will not believe me and this kid has been caught stealin and kicked outa his house so on.. I talked to that kid last night he said they question him and the cop was like there no doubt he(as in me) not going to get charged he's over 18 and it was higher than 5 grand or seomthing like I got to be so dumb I thought it was like 100 bucks if that man I was so drunk can't remember that night felt like **** called the owners said I had it and want to me ill give it back I was like crying than the cop at begining of conversation says it 99.9 chance of you not getting cahrged that at the end he's like your lienin to me I think you have the rest of the stuff and I was like noo put me on lie test and he's like k I will ill set a date than I thinking in my hea d I do not wanan waste my time going on that and thinking they wrong and I said no don't than he's like oo so you lienin to me and I like oo **** again in my mind and I like k put me on it but anyway at end of conversation he's like it went from 99.9 chance to a 20 to 80 pecent chance of you gett charged he's like I think your the main suspect now.. again I have to say soemtihng though my aunt is a cop I talked to my mom about this and was crying alst night because I found out what kid told me
She called my aunt today she did investagin and got the head guy to talk to me and all this apprently the cop broke the law and he said he broke my rights to me and my mom because my mom was in room with me and told her to get outa room during tape because I was over 18 and said she couldn't do that and at begin when we came in he just said I had to say soemthing about witnissing something and later it turned into an intergation

dumbo22 · Sep 25, 2006, 10:25 PM

Also I have a full time job now and I get paid oct 13 I believe because of cutt off I want to get an attorny on my own for walmart and pay my court date oct 30th is that to late to get one on the 13th also I'm scared that they will look at walmart incidate and be like yes this kids a thief lets charge him again I thank so much for your help and if I saw you in person id shake your had if not hug you for helping me with my worries I'm scared depressed so on been an emotial wreck and I don't ask for thempasy and understand if you think of me as a thief like that one guy said

ScottGem · Sep 26, 2006, 05:35 AM

First, you don't have to wait for your first paycheck to consult an attorney. Many will offer a free consultation, almost all will bill you.

Most likely the two cases will be treated separately. Unless you are convicted, I don't believe the "other" case can be used for either. This is also why you want to get the WalMart case taken care of BEFORE it goes to court, so it won't become involved with the second case.

And that's why you NEED to speak to an attorney who can head off either. A decent attorney should be able to negotiate a settlement in the WalMart case that will leave your record clean. A decent attorney should be able to talk the owners out of pressing charges in the second case.

The courts are overcrowded, the system prefers to handle things without going to court. Cheaper all around.

dumbo22 · Sep 26, 2006, 04:21 PM

Okay will I wanan pay for one because doesn't that mean they better if you have to pay haha just I don't have money till 13 of oct and wonder if I can pay than or seomtihng.. okay but the owners don't want to change me just the cop was like I haven't made my mind up... can he charge me but thanks so much again

ScottGem · Sep 26, 2006, 06:12 PM

Try reading what you have already been told. Your questions were already answered.

dumbo22 · Sep 26, 2006, 09:29 PM

Ill give u an update

s_cianci · Sep 30, 2006, 08:35 AM

Here in the U.S. attorneys typically cost $250 per hour. However, as excon suggested, it'd probably be money well spent in the interest of salvaging your future. Also as ScottGem suggested, trying to have an attorney negotiate to the store for you to make restitution in exchange for having the charges dropped is probably your best course of action. For a lawyer to do that shouldn't take an inordinate amount of time ; maybe $1000 - $1500 worth. The store knows that for them to prosecute you will cost them time and money as well. If the theft amount was only about $25 as you suggest they'd be crazy to pay someone to spend hours in court to represent their side if you have a lawyer willing to offer a quick settlement on your behalf. Go for it.

dumbo22 · Oct 5, 2006, 12:21 PM

Okay so cops never called me about that other stuff I told you about so don't think anythings going to happen but when I got arrested after I got out I said to the cop I never been to court personaly I don't want to blah blah blah I don't have the money for an attourny and the cop was like when you get there ask for that free lawyer or w.e it is I can't rmemeber what its called and he was like tell him you want to apply for app program I think that's what its called but id to community service and he was like tell them I will pay for the cd do you think this will help me out or no

ScottGem · Oct 5, 2006, 12:48 PM

How many times do we have to tell you that you want to AVOID going to court in the first place. Once they get you in a courtroom, it goes on your record.