According to the Times, after going out and partying last night a few people that work at Pyramid Brewery in downtown Seattle (right across the street from the Mariners ballpark) decided that even though the bars weren't closed they weren't done drinking.
According to the story, earlier in the evening one of the employees (the group appeared to be a mix of employees and former employees) had left a window open just in case an emergency occurred and they needed to get inside. As they were climbing into the window, as you might expect, someone saw them and called 911, thinking they were actually breaking into the place. The cops showed up and arrested them all, charging them with burglary.
Burglary is made up of two different degrees. Second degree burglary is the least offensive kind. To commit second degree burglary in Seattle, one must, with intent to commit a crime against a person or property within the building, enter or remain unlawfully in a building that is not a vehicle or a residence.
In this case the crime intended to be committed would probably be theft (I'm going to guess they weren't going to pay for the beers they were going to drink). Second degree burglary is a class B felony, which is pretty serious (you'd want to make sure you had a good Seattle criminal defense attorney on your side for this one).
First degree burglary is the more serious of the two offenses. To commit first degree burglary in Seattle, one must, with intent to commit a crime against a person or property with the building, and while in the building or fleeing therefrom you or your accomplice has a deadly weapon or assaults someone. First degree burglary is a class A felony, the most serious class of felony.
If you are charged with this don't hire some churn em out Seattle criminal attorney, hire someone that knows what they are doing.
In this case, in my opinion, what should happen and what hopefully will happen is the prosecutor will reduce the charge to first degree criminal trespass, which is a gross misdemeanor. First degree criminal trespass is entering a building or premises unlawfully.
If you need a good Seattle criminal defense attorney, take the time to find the firm that is right for you. Give us a call today for a free consultation.
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