Legal Question in Criminal Law in Louisiana

I found money in a dayplanner and took the money. I did not see any names but what looked like forgged checks in different names in the planner. The casino I was at came to my hotel door a few hours later and asked for the money. I gave them all the money in my wallet including my own. The officer stated that the person had $1160 dollars and that I must return that full amount or be arrested. I asked to be arrested because there was not that much money in the planner. My friends said not to go to jail and gave the additional money to the officer and he left. Is this legal? I understand my actions were immoral and purhaps illegal but it seems to me to be a type of extortion to take additional money from me to avoid arrest. Please let me know if I have any legal recourse to recoup the money taken from me.


Asked on 12/20/10, 9:30 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Nick Pizzolatto, Jr. Pizzolatto Law Office

Since you would not have returned the money had you not been caught, is it worth the hassle? Your do have the right to claim the money your friends loaned you to make up the $1160 total, but you don't indicate how much that is. And you will have to have witnesses who saw you take the money out of the day planner and count it to prove it was less than $1160. See if they want to go back and help you get the money back. I think you caught a break by not being arrested and not being banned from the casino.

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Answered on 12/26/10, 4:12 am


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