The Orange County Register is reporting that a former Fullerton police officer has been convicted of third-degree grand theft after stealing an iPad from a security checkpoint at a Miami airport.
This comes only a few weeks after a Fort Lauderdale, Florida man was spotted on surveillance video of stealing a $6,500 Rolex watch that a woman in front of him had left in a bin at a security checkpoint at the airport there. He was later arrested and faces charges in connection with the crime.
Orange County Criminal Defense Attorney Vincent Howard understands that the news media will follow a criminal case involving a law enforcement officer more intently than other cases, which makes controlling the flow of pre-trial information more important.
High-profile Fullerton theft cases and other criminal cases can lead to bad publicity, which can affect the ability for jurors to be fair. Every citizen can be exposed to coverage of cases in the news. The more prevalent the coverage, the easier it is for a jury to become biased.
As Fullerton Criminal Defense Attorney Vincent Howard knows, any bias on a jury is unacceptable. Jurors should be thoroughly questioned during jury selection in order to prove that the people who are to judge whether a fellow citizen is guilty or innocent can make a decision solely on the facts.
This can be tough for many people. Even if a person doesn't believe they have any outward biases, whether it's taking every police officer at their word no matter what or believing that if a person has been arrested they're probably guilty, everyone has some beliefs that can make them poor jurors. They may simply be better-suited to serve on a civil trial, rather than a criminal matter.
This is why jury selection and questioning jurors is so important. In this case, the former officer was convicted after entering a guilty plea and bypassing a trial. She was sentenced to complete a theft class, donate $250 to the Boys & Girls Club of Miami, pay $100 in court costs and complete 75 hours of community service, The Orange County Register is reporting.
Restitution wasn't ordered as the victim got the iPad back. The officer was arrested last year at the Miami airport on suspicion of stealing an iPad that belonged to another traveler. She had been an officer for four years and with the department.
The newspaper reports that the woman was spotted on surveillance video putting the iPad in her carry-on bag after taking it from a bin near a metal detector. A traveler told police she put the iPad in a bin and when she went to retrieve it, it was gone. Officers reviewed video and were able to identify the officer. When they confronted her, they found it in plain view.
The officer told police that she had planned to keep it, saying that she found the device, but didn't consider it to be stealing. She said she picked it up as "found property," noting that she didn't see who put it there.
Being a convicted felon is going to ruin this officer's career. Orange County Criminal Defense Attorney Vincent Howard believes that people deserve a second chance, but sometimes society doesn't agree. An experienced lawyer will work to try to minimize the damage -- both in terms of criminal sanctions and personal problems for clients. Sometimes that requires going to trial and sometimes that can be accomplished through strong plea negotiations.
If you or a loved one would like to speak to a criminal defense attorney in Los Angeles or in any of the surrounding areas, contact HOWARD LAW PC for a confidential appointment to discuss your rights. Call 1-800-872-5925.
More Blog Entries:
Two Men Arrested for Los Angeles Theft of John Travolta's Classic Car: January 29, 2012
Additional Resources:
Former Fullerton officer guilty of iPad theft, by Lou Ponsi, The Orange County Register
