If I was forced back insidea store regarding an alleged shoplifting incident, is this a violation my rights?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
If I was forced back insidea store regarding an alleged shoplifting incident, is this a violation my rights?
My friend was caught shoplifting meat from a grocery store, while I was with him. I didn’t know what he was doing. We were stopped outside the door. My friend fled, they then wanted me to be held and questioned. I walked to my car, just wanting to leave because I didn’t understand the situation. I went to open my door, they pried and forced my hand off my car door and keys and forced me inside to a small room with a manager guarding until the police arrived. The police gave me a ticket to appear in court. I cannot afford an attorney. What should I do?
Asked on December 27, 2011 under Criminal Law, Minnesota
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
Given the circumstances that you have written about, it appears that you were in the wrong place at the right time where you most likely have been cited as an accessory to a crime, namely shoplifitng.
The circumstances that you have written about suggests that what happened to you was proper in that a citizen's arrest was made with respect to you due to the shoplifting of meat from the store by your friend. You have a court hearing coming up as a result of the citation to appear in court.
In the interim, I would go down to your county's public defender's office to see if you qualify for a public defender since you cannot afford an attorney.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.