Legal Question in Juvenile Dependency in Virginia

im 17 years old and was caught for stealing a $35 dollar helmet from top of a bike. I was with a friend when we droped off my other friend at his condemenian building in the garage. We teens were acting stupid and we saw the helmet and jokingly took it. after about a month a detective comes to my school and gets me out of class and asks me questions and shows me a side photo of me and my friend, they couldnt identify my friend. He tells me to explain to him wat happened so i told him we dropped off a friend and were walking around we ate in the garage cause we had takeout than we left. We didnt take anything he tells me that he has me on tape and all this BS and that he is going to go get a warrant for my arrest and come arrest me later that night. I started to panic and told him i have the right to remain silent and im done talking. than i go home and he doesnt come that night but not until the following day he comes he cuffs me in front of my house and doesnt read me my maranda rights until we get close to the center where he gets my picture and fingerprints. than he takes me to a courthouse where we call a family member to come pick me up. I have never got into any kind of trouble not even a fight in school or anything. inside the court he shows me wat he has 4 pictures which happen to be from the same angle so im guessing there was only one camera in the whole garage which pointed to the entrance and elevator. he has a picture of me outside of the car me and my friend came with and me by the motorcycle but no pictures with me holding the helmet or any of that stuff. after a long time of him playing good cop and he wants to help me i finally fess up and tell him the story so i get charged with (pety larceny i think). they said that they will get a hold of me to tell me when is the court date and such. what will be my sentence and what could i have done ... i know i could of gotten away with it because they didnt have any solid evidance. well this be on my record. what can i do in this situation. i have never even gotten a parking ticket and i dont look like the kid that would do anything.

Asked on 12/02/09, 12:55 pm

2 Answers from Attorneys

Michael Sprano The Sprano Law Firm, LLP

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You ask a lot of good questions, but the short answer to all of them is this: you and your parent(s) should contact a lawyer to begin preparing for this case. Even though you eventually confessed, there may still be some possible defenses available depending on the details surrounding that confession. If your statements cannot be kept out of evidence, then it will be a matter of plea negotiations with the prosecutor. Given the facts of the case and lack of any prior history, there could still be a way for you to avoid a conviction in this case.

Answered on 12/07/09, 2:26 pm

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