Massachusetts Criminal Lawyer Blog

One rainy day Patrick M, age 18, was walking to a friend's house when it began pouring. Patrick saw a bicycle leaning up against a house in Wakefield. Patrick figured if he "borrowed" the bike he could get to his friend's house more quickly and not get quite so wet. In a moment of poor decision making, Patrick entered the yard, grabbed the bicycle, and rode away to his friend's house. Patrick left the bike at the friend's house in the back yard. Unfortunately for Patrick, a witness had seen Patrick take the bicycle and had followed Patrick. The witness went to the police. The police retrieved the bike and confronted Patrick. In a moment of contrition Patrick admitted taking the bike and apologized profusely. He told the police it was his intention to return the bike the next morning and that he never intended to steal it. Patrick wrote a heartfelt letter of apology to the owner of the bike. The police charged Patrick with larceny over $250, a felony. Patrick retained Attorney Lewin prior to his arraignment. On the morning of the arraignment Attorney Lewin asked that the arraignment not be held but that the case be continued for a period of time to allow Attorney Lewin to try to convince the DA's office to dismiss the case prior to the arraignment. The case was continued two more times and on June 23, 2010 the DA's office agreed to dismiss the case "prior to arraignment". The significance of the case being dismissed "prior to the arraignment" is that the case does not go on Patrick's record. A charge of Larceny over $250 brands someone as a thief and no one wants to hire a thief. As a result of good lawyering at the outset of the case Patrick came out of this with no criminal record.