Richmond, TX
Burglary Suspect Found Not Guilty, But With A Twist by Don Maines
A 19-year-old Rosenberg man was found not guilty, Wednesday, of stealing a Nintendo video game from his friends’ home.
However, Shaun Lamont Richardson might have jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire with his testimony in the burglary trial allegedly incriminating him with regard to another crime.
“No doubt,” said Richardson’s attorney Don Hecker. “By his own admission, he lied. He testified he told a Rosenberg police detective a certain individual had given the video game to him to pawn, and that name was absolutely false. That kid was at school at the time.”
A jury in the 268th District Court apparently believed Richardson’s testimony that he did not enter the home of his friends on Feb 15 with the intent to steal the video game.
“In fact,” said Hecker “there was no evidence he was ever present at the house.”
Prosecutor Pedro Ruiz said police found Richardson’s cell phone at the house, but Richardson told the jury the phone wasn’t working and he didn’t remember leaving it there.
Richardson said when he found out the video game he pawned was stolen, he paid $72 to get it back and he returned it to its owners.
Ruiz said “I thought at the very least, if you believe his testimony, he committed a crime, and he may have to face the consequences of making a false report to a peace officer.”
