Thief Found Not Guilty After Impromptu Trial

Charges:

CC: s.334(b) – Theft Under $5000, s.355(b) – Possession of Stolen Property.

Allegations:

My client had two sets of charges. First, stole some clothing items from Winners. When the Loss Prevention Officer tried to arrest her, she ran and he chased her. When he caught her, she pulled a knife on him. He knocked it out of her hand and subdued her until the police arrived.  Second, she stole a number of items from her friend’s place, including a laptop computer, other electronics, and some expensive jewelry. She then sold these items to a pawn shop.

Result:

Regarding the first incident, my client failed to attend at her trial and a warrant was issued for her arrest. Regarding the second incident, my client did attend. However, since she failed to maintain communication with me, I was unprepared for trial and requested an adjournment. The judge refused to grant my request, so I conducted the trial on the fly and won.  She was found “Not Guilty.”