If Iwas arrested for felony theft and burglary, what amI facing whenI go to court?
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If Iwas arrested for felony theft and burglary, what amI facing whenI go to court?
I was arrested 3 weeks ago, posted bail and have to be in court tomorrow. I am 19 and this is my first offense. I got involved in all of this because I was threaten by some guy who knows my step-father. He said that he was going to hurt me and my child if I didn’t do what he said. I was told to go in to a store and get some stuff , for which he was going to pay me $300 for diapers and formula for my child if if I completed the job. He gave me a call from a unknown number and gave me instructions on what to do but I got caught when leaving with the items and got arrested. While I was in jail my stepdad got jumped by this guy’s friends because I failed the task. I don’t have a law to defend me tomorrow, so what should I do?
Asked on May 17, 2011 under Criminal Law, Nevada
Answers:
M.S., Member, Connecticut Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 13 years ago | Contributor
You should ask the prosecutor for a continuance to obtain an attorney, and then you should go and get a lawyer as soon as possible. If true, and if its possible to document, the story that you just told might provide you with a defense -- because you were acting under duress at the time of the incident leading to your arrest. However, I can assure you that if you go into court and try to tell anyone that story i.e., a judge or the prosecutor, there is no chance that they are going to believe you, and you are going to end up inadvertently confessing to the crime and making the case against you stronger. An experienced criminal defense attorney will know how to investigate your story and obtain proof (if possible) and then present it to the prosecutor so that a theory of defense can be developed on your behalf. Good luck.
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