US Politics | Walmart self-checkout thief facing 10 years in jail challenged charge with defense even the wrongly accused should know
A WALMART thief facing 10 years in jail for stealing $80 worth of goods at self-check has successfully appealed as judges branded the charge "unfair". Chasity Shirley, 34, faced the lengthy sentence after swapping the barcodes of two items when she was at a Kentucky store in 2018. 
GettyA Walmart shopper faced 10 years in jail after stealing $80 worth of goods '/ ' She was convicted on a charge of "unlawful access to a computer". Typical shoplifting crimes for items less than $500 carry just a $250 fine and up to 90 days in jail in Kentucky. But prosecutors and Walmart had argued that when Shirley swapped barcodes at the self-checkout, she was unlawfully accessing the store's computer system. Unlawful access to a computer is a Class C felony punishable by five to 10 years in prison. read more on self-checkouts 
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WORD GAMES Walmart & Kroger make shoppers 'shadow work' & that could mean legal trouble But the Court of Appeals argued Shirley and other Walmart customers have ...effective consent... to use the self-checkout to pay for groceries. Last week, the Kentucky Supreme Court ruled that Shirley should not face a felony or such a lengthy sentence. The decisions is in agreement with the Kentucky Court of Appeals which unanimously agreed that the conviction was "inherently unfair", according to the Louisville Courier-Journal. Shirley may now get a directed verdict that will see the conviction dismissed. Most read in The US Sun TERRY CONCERN Fans worried about health of legendary broadcaster Terry Bradshaw PHONE HOME? Mysterious signal from deep space flashes Earth 2,000 times within 2 months OH NO, SAVANNAH! Today's Savannah caught on hot mic as show suffers technical difficulties 'INAPPROPRIATE' DWTS' Tyra Banks slammed for making 'creepy' comment to Charli D'Amelio, 18 FLIX FEARS Millions of Netflix fans say they'll QUIT app as cost of living crisis bites DANCING WITH THE DIVAS? DWTS fans shocked after Teresa Giudice grabs mic from Tyra Banks Lawyers have warned about the potential legal risks shoppers may face if they're wrongly accused of stealing at the self-checkout. Shirley had switched the barcodes of a toothbrush holder and a kid's rug and slipover that were more expensive, according to Courier-Journal. The tactic has been dubbed a "switcheroo" and it involves customers scanning an expensive item with a barcode for a cheaper product. The difference between the two items was around $80 and prosecutors alleged that she had misled the self-checkout machines. Walmart shoppers have been warned about the potential legal risks when they use the self-checkout. Sandra Barger, a counselor at Bridges Counseling LLC in Arizona, told The US Sun that she's observed an increase in petty theft cases among her clients. Between January 2021 and March 2022, more than 60 customers were arrested at a Walmart store in Tucson after accidentally forgetting to scan some items. Barger explained that her clients are regular shoppers who accidentally stole something of low value because of a small mistake they made at self-checkout. She revealed a typical scenario would see a customer arrested after a run-of-the-mill shopping trip. Barger warned that her clients have been forced to pay thousands in legal fees. LEGAL WARNING Lawyer Tim Fleming, of Alabama, claimed self-checkout machines can inaccurately accuse a customer of stealing. He suggested that shoppers may not be concentrating when they're checking out their groceries so they could unintentionally miss an item. Fleming also suggested that customers may miss the beep of the machine. Shoppers that are wrongly accused of stealing should remain calm if they're being quizzed, according to the lawyer. But attorney Stephanie Holan told Fox26 that shoppers should worry more about the potential risks regarding their personal data. Read More on The US Sun 
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LOVE WOES Expert reveals two major reasons Khloe Kardashian picks the wrong men She said: "You are standing there 'at the checkout ' sliding your card and punching in your code and there are cameras watching you. "I would be a lot more concerned that somebody is watching me get my information than I would be that they're going to accuse me of stealing an item."
GettyA Walmart shopper faced 10 years in jail after stealing $80 worth of goods '/ ' She was convicted on a charge of "unlawful access to a computer". Typical shoplifting crimes for items less than $500 carry just a $250 fine and up to 90 days in jail in Kentucky. But prosecutors and Walmart had argued that when Shirley swapped barcodes at the self-checkout, she was unlawfully accessing the store's computer system. Unlawful access to a computer is a Class C felony punishable by five to 10 years in prison. read more on self-checkouts FEELING THE HEAT Walmart's 'creepy' new cart technology would change shopping forever WORD GAMES Walmart & Kroger make shoppers 'shadow work' & that could mean legal trouble But the Court of Appeals argued Shirley and other Walmart customers have ...effective consent... to use the self-checkout to pay for groceries. Last week, the Kentucky Supreme Court ruled that Shirley should not face a felony or such a lengthy sentence. The decisions is in agreement with the Kentucky Court of Appeals which unanimously agreed that the conviction was "inherently unfair", according to the Louisville Courier-Journal. Shirley may now get a directed verdict that will see the conviction dismissed. Most read in The US Sun TERRY CONCERN Fans worried about health of legendary broadcaster Terry Bradshaw PHONE HOME? Mysterious signal from deep space flashes Earth 2,000 times within 2 months OH NO, SAVANNAH! Today's Savannah caught on hot mic as show suffers technical difficulties 'INAPPROPRIATE' DWTS' Tyra Banks slammed for making 'creepy' comment to Charli D'Amelio, 18 FLIX FEARS Millions of Netflix fans say they'll QUIT app as cost of living crisis bites DANCING WITH THE DIVAS? DWTS fans shocked after Teresa Giudice grabs mic from Tyra Banks Lawyers have warned about the potential legal risks shoppers may face if they're wrongly accused of stealing at the self-checkout. Shirley had switched the barcodes of a toothbrush holder and a kid's rug and slipover that were more expensive, according to Courier-Journal. The tactic has been dubbed a "switcheroo" and it involves customers scanning an expensive item with a barcode for a cheaper product. The difference between the two items was around $80 and prosecutors alleged that she had misled the self-checkout machines. Walmart shoppers have been warned about the potential legal risks when they use the self-checkout. Sandra Barger, a counselor at Bridges Counseling LLC in Arizona, told The US Sun that she's observed an increase in petty theft cases among her clients. Between January 2021 and March 2022, more than 60 customers were arrested at a Walmart store in Tucson after accidentally forgetting to scan some items. Barger explained that her clients are regular shoppers who accidentally stole something of low value because of a small mistake they made at self-checkout. She revealed a typical scenario would see a customer arrested after a run-of-the-mill shopping trip. Barger warned that her clients have been forced to pay thousands in legal fees. LEGAL WARNING Lawyer Tim Fleming, of Alabama, claimed self-checkout machines can inaccurately accuse a customer of stealing. He suggested that shoppers may not be concentrating when they're checking out their groceries so they could unintentionally miss an item. Fleming also suggested that customers may miss the beep of the machine. Shoppers that are wrongly accused of stealing should remain calm if they're being quizzed, according to the lawyer. But attorney Stephanie Holan told Fox26 that shoppers should worry more about the potential risks regarding their personal data. Read More on The US Sun MY TRUTH Joe Rogan's dad denies claims of violence & wants to reunite with podcast star LOVE WOES Expert reveals two major reasons Khloe Kardashian picks the wrong men She said: "You are standing there 'at the checkout ' sliding your card and punching in your code and there are cameras watching you. "I would be a lot more concerned that somebody is watching me get my information than I would be that they're going to accuse me of stealing an item."
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