Legal Question in Criminal Law in California

Evidence
My wife was accused of stealing 800 bucks from her former employer. the police got involved and she was arrested and charged with grand theft! She unfortunately didn't get a private lawyer but used a public defender and was told to plead NO CONTEST!!
She was punished! 3 years probation/rstitution/pay fines/7 days jail time/400 hours community service - she has already done 110 hours! Now her former employer is saying she took alot more! Like 10,000 bucks! My wife has been told not to worry by her public defender that the DA will not charge her AGAIN! That her former employer will be told that they should have done a better job of investigating her originally and that the DA will not allow my wife to be charged with another theft crime again! Are we safe to assume this is true????

Asked on 2/23/05, 4:03 am

2 Answers from Attorneys

Edward Hoffman Law Offices of Edward A. Hoffman

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Re: Evidence

You sound surprised that your wife was punished, but that is what happens to people who plead no contest. Her sentence isn't terribly harsh considering what she might have received, so you and she should consider yourselves lucky.

If the employer says that there were additional thefts then she most likely will be charged again and, if convicted, will be sentenced much more harshly. But if the employer is referring to the *same* thefts and somehow just didn't realize how big they were before, then she should be safe. Even so, she should consult with a lawyer.

Answered on 2/23/05, 6:23 pm

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