Hamilton County: School board member’s shoplifting case continued

The court date for a charge of theft under $5,000 pending against Hamilton County School Board member Janice Boydston was postponed Thursday.

The new court date is Oct. 16 at 1:30 p.m., according to Hamilton County Sessions Court Administrator Pam Melton. The court date was continued with the agreement of defense and prosecution attorneys, she said.

Ms. Boydston, who has served on the school board for 28 years, was charged with shoplifting in July after a Lookout Valley Wal-Mart loss prevention officer claimed to see her conceal several health and beauty aid items in her purse then try to leave the store without paying, according to an incident report filed with the Chattanooga Police Department.

The six items found in her purse cost $34.05 and were undamaged and returned to the Wal-Mart, according to the report.

Ms. Boydston said the items must have fallen into her open purse when she placed them in her cart. She had paid for $85 worth of groceries at the store before leaving, she said.

“It was stupid of me to have my purse in the buggy, stupid of me for my purse to be open, but there was no intent,” Ms. Boydston told a reporter shortly after she was charged.