There are many things that young people are taught in Tennessee. One of these lessons is to not take what does not belong to them. When children take a toy from another child, they are reprimanded and may go to timeout, but the consequences are not very severe beyond that. However, when people are adults and decide to take things that are not theirs to take, they could face theft charges and the consequences can be much more severe depending on the circumstances.
Two men may realize these consequences after being charged with thefts from multiple music stores in the Knoxville area. The two men allegedly stole music instruments from different stores over a couple weeks’ span of time. Both men were ultimately charged with felony theft as well as drug possession charges. Police say that the investigation is ongoing, and they expect more charges to come for the two men.
These men like anyone who has been charged with a crime are just beginning the criminal justice process. At this point in time they are also still innocent and it is up to the state to prove that they are guilty of the crimes beyond a reasonable doubt.
Also, there may be a number of different defenses available to people charged with crimes. Often times these defenses start with whether the police conducted an arrest, a stop or a search correctly. If they did not, any evidence they obtained through the illegal search could be thrown out and convictions become very unlikely.
Many people are charged with crimes in Tennessee every day. This does not mean that the people are in fact guilty though. Everyone has rights, and these rights must be protected throughout the criminal justice process. People may also have defenses, which can keep evidence out or prove that they did not commit the crime they are accused of committing. Attorneys understand these defenses and may be able to guide one through the criminal trial process.
Source: Wate.com, “2 men charged in Knoxville music store thefts,” Sept. 12, 2017