George L. was a self-employed contractor who ran a very successful business in the San Fernando Valley. George L. was accused of stealing thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from a Los Angeles hardware store. George had a prior conviction for theft that was over twenty years old. In that case, George had stolen a bottle of liquor when he was a juvenile.
At trial, the defense established that the store security officers lied for professional gain. Specifically, the defense showed that store security officers received promotional incentives based on the number of arrests they made for the store. If convicted, George’s contractor’s license would have been permanently revoked.
The jury acquitted George L. of all charges.