What is the name of your state? CALIFORNIA
PLEASE HELP ME. I was caught shop lifting 3 DVDS (total of $86.97) from COSTCO in California. I am 20 years old and have a clean record as of yet. What happened was as I was leaving COSTCO, the head of security stopped me and asked me to follow him to his office. When I got there, he asked me to empty my purse and found the 3 stolen DVDs. He didn't ask me any questions and filed a report (I think based on surveilance tapes). He then called the police and they didn't ask me any questions about the incident and based my arrest on the security report. They brought me to their car (no handcuffs involved or anything) and I sat in the back as they filled out a citation. They didn't read me my rights or anything. When they were letting me go, they said that the security man was being kind because normally I should have gone to jail. When I asked the officers if I needed a lawyer, they said no. I then asked them what I should do and they said I should go to court and the judge would probably give me a slap on the wrist but a possible further conviction. I am really really scared and I am trying to handle this all on my own. I want to go to court as soon as possible. Should I go without a lawyer (can't afford one). If I do represent myself, how should I plead? Is it possible for them to dismiss the case? Is it possible to convince the security at costco to drop the case? WHAT CAN I DO? PLEASE PLEASE HELP ME! Is it also possible to erase this from my record?
PLEASE HELP ME. I was caught shop lifting 3 DVDS (total of $86.97) from COSTCO in California. I am 20 years old and have a clean record as of yet. What happened was as I was leaving COSTCO, the head of security stopped me and asked me to follow him to his office. When I got there, he asked me to empty my purse and found the 3 stolen DVDs. He didn't ask me any questions and filed a report (I think based on surveilance tapes). He then called the police and they didn't ask me any questions about the incident and based my arrest on the security report. They brought me to their car (no handcuffs involved or anything) and I sat in the back as they filled out a citation. They didn't read me my rights or anything. When they were letting me go, they said that the security man was being kind because normally I should have gone to jail. When I asked the officers if I needed a lawyer, they said no. I then asked them what I should do and they said I should go to court and the judge would probably give me a slap on the wrist but a possible further conviction. I am really really scared and I am trying to handle this all on my own. I want to go to court as soon as possible. Should I go without a lawyer (can't afford one). If I do represent myself, how should I plead? Is it possible for them to dismiss the case? Is it possible to convince the security at costco to drop the case? WHAT CAN I DO? PLEASE PLEASE HELP ME! Is it also possible to erase this from my record?
