Alcohol & Drugs: MIP, MIC, Intoxication sale of alcohol to a minor

[dotdot]

I failed an official Wa. State alcohol sting in that I sold, unwittingly, of course alcohol to a minor. The catch is that it was done in self-service checkstand where I was responsible for 5 customers simultaneously. The sale of alcohol in self-service registers has become such a national problem that Cal. is voting to ban all alcohol sales in Self-serve; there are many reasons, one which is checker distraction.

I am considering pleading not guilty and immediately seeing the prosecuting attorney for a deal. I, of course, want to get the charges dropped all together. What can I expect when I go into the prosecutors office? Can my family (husband) accompany me?

There are other circumstances in this issue for example inadequate training when the new registers were put in; when I was terminated it took the Safeway officials 6 days before the decision was made when I should have been terminated the very next day. In my estimation there was doubt on the Part of safeway or it wouldn't have taken so long; isn't doubt suppose to go in favor of the accused? This is the first time anyone in the Portland Divisoin of Safeway that anyone has failed an alcohol sting in self-service. No one knew what to do so they decided to fire me.

Any guidance or thoughts.

 

[tpajet]

I would do as you have said about talking to the prosecutor.

I would also get a lawyer and file a huge lawsuit against Safeway. There is no reasonable way you can watch all 5 registers that closely, and they should have it set in the self checkout system that it won't scan liquor without the checker (you) manually authorizing it. I would also ask for punitive damages. This is where they pay an amount to theoretically keep them from doing it again (kind of a fine). The punitive damages would be that they need to set the computer for the self checkout.

I have the feeling they won't change anything as long as they can blame the employee.

 

[raskalnikov]

You won't know right away who the prosecutor is.

It is the job of your attorney to talk to them, not you.

Plead Not guilty, and if you can't afford an attorney, get one.

I hope this gets dropped, but it may be reduced to some kind of civil infraction. . .

Good Luck.

Please keep informed. I would think the strategy should be that SAFEWAY is to blame, criminally, for having such an inept system that won't allow you to check for alcohol.