- Jurisdiction
- Mississippi
On Friday afternoon I went to [Large Chain Grocery Store], bought a couple of weeks worth of groceries at the self-checkout, and, it turns out, left ~$29 of assorted food-stuffs (see list below) unpaid for in the cart. Very soon after moving on toward the store entrance I was stopped by a very hostile man in street clothes who asked for my receipt and then my license, but never did identify himself. The short version is that I spent roughly the next hour in a secluded back room of the store with this man, during which time he seemed to be trying to intimidate me into saying that I had intentionally overlooked the items in question. I was increasingly suspicious about the legality of what was happening, and eventually asked that a law enforcement officer be present. The officer did arrive, and ultimately handed me a ticket with a court date on it, and the words SHOPLIFTING (M).
Both during and after the event I've had to grapple with my complete ignorance of the legalities of all of this. I guess it's of no import now what all I should or shouldn't have done/said while sequestered in that back room, but I need to figure out what next. Do I simply show up on the court date and explain my innocence, or will I likely just be met with the same hostility and presumption of guilt I got at Walmart? Am I correct that this whole thing could turn into a criminal record?
If it matters, I'm currently 38 years old, in Graduate School, and my criminal record so far consists of one time not wearing my seatbelt (~5yrs ago), and once driving with a broken tail light (~10yrs ago). I've been shopping at that same store for 6 or 7 years now.
Thanks in advance for your help.
(The List mentioned above):
5 lbs. Ground Beef
2 Sticks of Butter
1 Small pack of paper bowls
1 Small pack of plastic spoons
1 Shaker of Dill (the seasoning)
Both during and after the event I've had to grapple with my complete ignorance of the legalities of all of this. I guess it's of no import now what all I should or shouldn't have done/said while sequestered in that back room, but I need to figure out what next. Do I simply show up on the court date and explain my innocence, or will I likely just be met with the same hostility and presumption of guilt I got at Walmart? Am I correct that this whole thing could turn into a criminal record?
If it matters, I'm currently 38 years old, in Graduate School, and my criminal record so far consists of one time not wearing my seatbelt (~5yrs ago), and once driving with a broken tail light (~10yrs ago). I've been shopping at that same store for 6 or 7 years now.
Thanks in advance for your help.
(The List mentioned above):
5 lbs. Ground Beef
2 Sticks of Butter
1 Small pack of paper bowls
1 Small pack of plastic spoons
1 Shaker of Dill (the seasoning)
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