A man is facing 20 years to life in prison after being accused of stealing $31 worth of candy bars from a New Orleans Dollar General store in December, the New Orleans Advocate reports.
On Thursday, 34-year-old Jacobia Grimes appeared in court for an arraignment and pleaded not guilty to the charges.Β
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According to the Advocate, Criminal District Court Judge Franz Zibilich mused out loud,Β βIsnβt this a little over the top?β regarding the βmultiple billβ threat that will leave little to the discretion of a judge.Β
According to the report,Β Orleans ParishΒ District Attorney Leon Cannizzaroβs office decided to charge Grimes under a statute that makes the alleged candy theft a felony punishable by up to two years in prison. The statute is meant for people who have been convicted of βtheft of goodsβ at least twice before.Β
Grimes, the Advocate reports, has five prior theft convictions, which categorizes him as a βquadβ offender under the stateβs habitual-offender law, thus making him eligible for 20 years to life behind bars if convicted.Β
βItβs not even funny,β the judge said. βTwenty years to life for a Snickers bar, or two or three or four.β
Grimesβ attorneys, Miles Swanson and Michael Kennedy, said that his prior convictions, occurring 2001-2010, were for similar shoplifting stints. All of the thefts involved less than $500 worth of items. Swanson argued that Grimes could have been charged under a different statute with a state misdemeanor.Β
βI just think it points to the absurdity of the multiple-billing statute. Theyβre spending their time to lock someone up for years over $31 worth of candy. Itβs ridiculous,β Swanson said.
βItβs unconscionably excessive to threaten someone with 20 years to life for candy,β Kennedy added.
Read more at the New Orleans Advocate.Β
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