Expungement of Shoplifting Charges for a Pharma Student
Sometimes, even the most honest mistakes can snatch away your restful night’s sleep. And our recent case of a young pharma student serves as the greatest example! She was charged with shoplifting- a serious crime that would have threatened her entire future. This case was more than just a legal battle for our 21-year-old client. Why? Because higher studies in the pharmaceutical discipline require background checks. And therefore, our client’s career, reputation, and dreams were at stake. A criminal record for theft could have prevented her from obtaining her professional license.
Confused about what to do, she finally made a wise decision and called up a skilled Pittsburgh criminal lawyer from our firm. This blog explores how our legal team fought for her, and how we worked to clear her name and give her a second chance.
What Were the Basis of the Charges?
The incident that started this entire fiasco occurred at a local department store.
Our client, a diligent pharmacy student, was shopping for a birthday gift for her sister. She picked up a handbag, which she planned to purchase along with several other items.
However, she got distracted by an urgent phone call as she walked toward the checkout. And without even realizing, she placed the handbag into her shopping bag. It was a simple, honest mistake. But unfortunately, a store security guard saw the action and immediately confronted her. The guard also accused her of shoplifting.
In the meantime, the store management called the police and charged our client with retail theft. The charge, even though a summary offense, was a huge deal as it would appear on any future background checks. This was a massive hurdle for our client. She was a dedicated student and, as a result, got stressed out of the situation. Thankfully, she remembered to exercise her rights and called a Pittsburgh criminal lawyer.
How We Managed the Not-Guilty Verdict, and the Expungement
As we began our investigation, we had in mind that our client’s reputation was at stake. Hence, we focused on proving her innocence. Also, upon hearing the entire incident, our Pittsburgh criminal lawyers didn’t want to negotiate a plea deal. Rather, we aimed for a full acquittal.
Considering that, we first filed a motion to suppress the evidence. In our client’s defense, we argued that the security guard had acted improperly. He had no probable cause to detain her. Added to that, we also presented evidence showcasing our client’s character. We highlighted her impeccable academic achievements and even called character witnesses to testify on her behalf. Her professors and colleagues spoke to her integrity and affirmed her good character.
Also during the trial, our Pittsburgh criminal lawyers meticulously cross-examined the store’s witnesses. They had inconsistencies in their statements, which we pointed out. We also argued that her action was an honest mistake and not a deliberate act of theft.
After all this, the prosecutor also could not prove her intent to steal! We successfully established reasonable doubt in the judge’s mind. The judge returned a verdict of “not guilty.”
But our work wasn’t done yet. The arrest record still existed, which was a stain on her reputation. Our Pittsburgh criminal lawyer filed a petition for expungement, which removed her arrest record from public view. And that’s how we brought justice to the 21-year-old pharma student.
So, if you, or a friend of yours, have gotten into a similar situation, don’t panic and straight away place a call at 844.PITT.DUI for a free consultation.