Interest of M.M. v. State

SMITH, Chief Judge.

Appellant, a juvenile, was stopped while driving a motorcycle displaying an expired license tag. A routine police check revealed that the motorcycle was recently stolen. Appellant explained that he borrowed the motorcycle from a friend, giving the friend’s first name and offering to show the officer where the friend lived.1 Despite appellant’s explanation, the police failed to conduct any investigation to confirm or to disprove appellant’s representations, and he was subsequently charged, tried, and found guilty of grand theft and adjudicated delinquent.

At trial, the state…