Alleged Clay County shoplifter beat man who tried to stop him, now facing even more charges

A man accused of stealing items from a Clay County store is now looking at even more serious charges after allegedly beating a man who tried to stop him from shoplifting. Police and witnesses said the man was running out of the store with items he didn’t pay for when another man tried to tackle him, according to a report on News4Jax. The man who tried to stop him was injured and several other shoppers jumped on the accused shoplifter and held him there until police could arrive, the television station reported. Once police arrived, the man was arrested and charged with grand theft, retail theft, felony battery and resisting arrest.

Felony battery is a third-degree felony with a maximum penalty of up to five years in state prison. Battery is not always a felony, it depends on the injuries suffered by the person who was struck. Battery becomes a felony if someone hits or strikes a person against their will, and, causes great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement. In this Jacksonville Battery Case, witnesses said they could see part of the victim’s bone coming from his leg, so that’s likely why the crime is charged as a felony. There could be an element of self-defense in this Jacksonville Felony Case, though prosecutors will likely argue the defendant put himself in the situation where he could be tackled by running out of a store with things he did not pay for. And while police will never encourage people to take the law into their own hands as the man who was injured did, it is also highly unlikely that he would be charged with a crime. But, by fighting with a man who tried to stop him, the defendant added a felony to his list of charges.

The defendant is looking at another felony in this case for grand theft. In Jacksonville Theft Crimes, the severity of the charge – and thus the corresponding punishment – is based on the value of the property in question. The key number in Jacksonville Theft Cases is $300. If the value alleged to be stolen is less than $300, the case is a misdemeanor and the maximum punishment is one year in the county jail. However, once the $300 threshold is crossed, the case becomes a felony and the maximum punishment increases to five years in state prison. Our Jacksonville Criminal Defense Attorney represents people arrested on all types of charges, from misdemeanors on up to life felonies.

If you or a loved one needs a criminal defense attorney in Jacksonville or the surrounding area, call The Mussallem Law Firm at (904) 365-5200 for a FREE CONSULTATION. Our Duval County Felony Theft Crimes Attorney, Victoria “Tori” Mussallem, is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.