Hey All,

New prosecutor so forgive me if this is an easy question. Got a theft set for this coming week. No definitive ID on the defendant by CW who the defendant stole an item from. Def pawned it at a pawn shop. Having difficulties getting someone from the pawn shop to authenticate the pawn receipt which has defendants info on it from defendants ID. No picture of defendant from the pawn receipt. Need someone to be able to take the pawn receipt, verify its contents, and verify that the defendant is the same person who is listed on the receipt. Too late to get a certified copy of the DL from DPS. What can I do to make an ID of the defendant with the info I have? Can I somehow get an investigator to match the info from a copy of the DL with the own receipt? If I can't get someone from the pawn shop do I have problems?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: BR15,

Given the time constraints you have--I would issue a subpoena duces tecum to the Custodian of Records for Easy Pawn, Inc. (or whatever corporate entity owns the shop) and request that they bring with them either the originals or true and correct copies of the pawn tickets at issue. I would also subpoena. If possible you also want to subpoena the employee that actually filled out the pawn ticket so that you can go through the particulars of that ticket (if they remember) or the standard policies and procedures that they follow on every pawn transaction.

In the future, try to get a business records affidavit with copies of the pawn tickets ahead of time. Even then you may still want the employee that handled the transaction.

Assuming the pawn ticket has the identifying information (including the DL or State ID)--you can either get your cop or someone at the jail to testify to the Defendant's DL number of State ID number.