Photo: LATINO BLOTTER? New Mexico Woman Faces Trial For Alleged Theft of $2 Pumpkin
UPDATE:
Lauren Medina, 23, who was accused of stealing a $2 pumpkin for a New Mexico pumpkin patch has been convicted of a shoplifting charge under a directed verdict from the judge during Tuesday’s bench trial.
Medina was sentenced to serve 40 hours of community service and pay court costs.
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A New Mexico woman is facing theft charges and a jury trial for a $2 pumpkin she says he accidentally stole from a pumpkin patch in 2011.
Lauren Medina, 23, went to McCall’s Pumpkin Patch in Moriarty, NM in October. While there, she purchased about $75 worth of various things before heading to the back of the farm for a hay ride. After the ride, Medina’s sister Annette Atencio said her sister picked up a small pumpkin.
According to KOAT 7, with the unpaid-for pumpkin in hand, she then began to walk out. Antencio said her sister forgot she had not yet paid for the pumpkin, and when confronted by police, realized her mistake, apologize, and asked if she could just pay for it.
However, the officers did not allow her to simply pay for the $2 pumpkin, and put her in handcuffs. She was then given an order to appear in court.
Medina and Antencio believed she would arrive in court and the charges would be dropped, as she’s a college student who has never been in trouble, but that is not what happened and Medina was told she could plead guilty and receive probation.
Having refused the plea, Medina now faces a jury trial, and all for allegedly trying to escape with a pumpkin that has lost since rotted away.
