Posted on 02/19/2012 6:43:02 PM PST by rawhide
As usual.... There is likely more to the story than is being reported.
I tend to agree. Could be a whole lot more to this story.
I suppose ignorantly shoplifting a pumpkin is possible, especially if it was mixed in with other items that one did purchase, but pumpkins aren’t exactly something one carries on his person daily.
I am thinking there has to be more to this story also. But here is the story from the local news station in Albuquerque, NM:
“Atencio (her sister) said the charges stem from October 2011, when her sister went to McCall’s Pumpkin Patch in Moriarty and forgot to pay for a small pumpkin.
Medina spent $75 that day on funnel cakes and other food, and then, Atencio said; her sister went on some hay rides in the back.
But, when Medina was leaving the property, Atencio said her sister picked up a small pumpkin and police approached her.
“(Medina) said, ‘Oh my god, I’m so sorry. Can I pay for them?’ (They said), ‘Nope,’ and she was handcuffed immediately — end of story, no ifs or buts,” Atencio said.
Medina was given an order to appear, and when she did, Atencio said her sister thought the charges would be dropped — but that didn’t happen.
Atencio said that Medina was given the option to plead guilty and do probation, and when she refused, the case will now head to a jury trial.”
Woman Accused Of Stealing $2 Pumpkin Faces Trial
Sister: Lauren Medina Forgot To Pay For Small Pumpkin At Moriarty Patch
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — According to court employees, a woman accused of stealing a $2 pumpkin will face a jury trial Tuesday.
Annette Atencio said she can’t believe her 23-year-old sister, Lauren Medina, will actually have to go to trial over a pumpkin.
“I’m in disbelief — the more I talk about it, the angrier I get,” Atencio said.
Atencio said the charges stem from October 2011, when her sister went to McCall’s Pumpkin Patch in Moriarty and forgot to pay for a small pumpkin.
Medina spent $75 that day on funnel cakes and other food, and then, Atencio said; her sister went on some hay rides in the back.
But, when Medina was leaving the property, Atencio said her sister picked up a small pumpkin and police approached her.
“(Medina) said, ‘Oh my god, I’m so sorry. Can I pay for them?’ (They said), ‘Nope,’ and she was handcuffed immediately — end of story, no ifs or buts,” Atencio said.
Medina was given an order to appear, and when she did, Atencio said her sister thought the charges would be dropped — but that didn’t happen.
Atencio said that Medina was given the option to plead guilty and do probation, and when she refused, the case will now head to a jury trial.
“(Medina) is a college student, and she’s never been in trouble and never been arrested,” Atencio said.
Moriarity Magistrate Judge Steve Jones is hearing the case, and a court employee said that just like every other case, the pumpkin theft case has to go through the court process.
Good thing she stopped ~ these people probably would have had her shot.
No doubt we need some more information ~ like was this pumpkin hooked to a vine, was it just there in the parking lot, was it on a table, was it under any sort of supervision, was there a sign saying NO PICK PUMP or something typical of that part of the world, or was it just sitting there being watched intently by a cop hidden behind a bush or something?
There are so many possibilities it boggles the mind. So, I looked up the satellite view to see what I could see. First off, there's a parking lot area. You walk from the lot across a narrow strip of red dirt to large buildings and walk around. Off to the West there are these big bins where they float plastic duckeys or pumpkins. Then there's an area where they shoot pumpkin cannons.
This is NOT a roadside pumpkin market ~ they use them as decor, target practice, shooting, tossing, breaking, jumping on, rolling ~ or what have you.
A cop was watching to see that nobody took any of the pumpkins on their way to the parking lot.
Some of the event pictures at their site look like people can get covered with pumpkin parts.
Looks like a setup to me ~ cop wanted a date or something ~ blew up in his face. Now there's a court trial.
Your tax dollars at work.
You walk into a pumpkin patch and “forget” to pay for the pumpkin?
They should be arrested just for being liars, or stupid. I am not advocating jail time, but this type of crap needs to stop. And they will say, “but we spent $75, what’s the big deal about a $2.00 pumpkin?
The average profit margin for a grocery store is about 5.5%. So the profit on her purchases would have been about $3.50. And they stole $2.00, or about 40% of the profit from them.
When you think of it thoses terms, I get even more pissed off.
Good thing she stopped ~ these people probably would have had her shot.
No doubt we need some more information ~ like was this pumpkin hooked to a vine, was it just there in the parking lot, was it on a table, was it under any sort of supervision, was there a sign saying NO PICK PUMP or something typical of that part of the world, or was it just sitting there being watched intently by a cop hidden behind a bush or something?
There are so many possibilities it boggles the mind. So, I looked up the satellite view to see what I could see. First off, there's a parking lot area. You walk from the lot across a narrow strip of red dirt to large buildings and walk around. Off to the West there are these big bins where they float plastic duckeys or pumpkins. Then there's an area where they shoot pumpkin cannons.
This is NOT a roadside pumpkin market ~ they use them as decor, target practice, shooting, tossing, breaking, jumping on, rolling ~ or what have you.
A cop was watching to see that nobody took any of the pumpkins on their way to the parking lot.
Some of the event pictures at their site look like people can get covered with pumpkin parts.
Looks like a setup to me ~ cop wanted a date or something ~ blew up in his face. Now there's a court trial.
Your tax dollars at work.
And if this is the Lauren Medina they are talking about she is VERY VERY VERY NOT GUILTY ~ and so is that other girl with her: http://i699.photobucket.com/albums/vv351/HaiLauren14/bugg.jpg
If a republican was in the Whitehouse, you better believe the eneMedia would try to blame it on the president.
It’s not really a pumpkin patch nor is it a grocery store. Go take a look at the website.
I’m with you on this one.
$2 pumpkin = serious business.
In fact I just heard about on the top-of-the-hour ABC news blurb.
May justice be done.
And asset forfeiture, don’t forget that! She must lose everything she owns!
Mark
WTF
I have reviewed the evidence
YOUR RULING IS AFFIRMED! CASE DISMISSED.
Once I was at the Base Exchange, getting some clothes and wandered around a bit and then started to leave, forgetting the pants I held in my hands. I got several steps out of the store before realizing what I was doing and hurriedly hopped back into the store, and up to the cash register to pay.
It could have been a mistake.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.