Legal Question in Criminal Law in Pennsylvania

criminal conspiracy unortherized use of a motot vehicle

my fomer friend called me up one night and said she was coming to pick me up to go to a friends birthday party,after dropping me off on her way back home she was stopped by the police because her mom called police and said she took the family car, during the stop by police she was driving without a license during the interview with them she told them it was both off our idea to take the van, iam stumed by this she called me up and came pick me up we never had a conversation about anything about her taking the van, i received a complaint from the police sent to me by the district court to go to a hearing on the charges i mention above. my former friend is 17 and iam 19, can they find me guilty of something that i didnt do, and what can i do, can you give me a answer, thanks.


Asked on 12/27/08, 10:28 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
William L. McLaughlin, Jr. McLaughlin Law Offices

Re: criminal conspiracy unortherized use of a motot vehicle

Very simply, do not discuss with the police anything

about who said what, or even what exactly happened

that day. Contact a lawyer to help you. Cooperate

with the police only by reporting to where they

tell you to go or by appearing in court. It sounds

like a poor case from the prosecution standpoint, but you are charged with a serious offense involving

dishonestly which could effect your furture employability. You are an adult (18 or over) so you are facing a different process than

your friend. Also, do not talk to your friend about this because you may be accussed of telling

her not to testify, or not testify truthfully. This

could expose you to a separate crime. Don't discount the possibility that your phone calls could be recorded if you contact her. Its going to be her word against yours possibly, so let a lawyer decide when you speak about the events of that day.

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Answered on 12/27/08, 1:00 pm


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