Nationwide — Corshelle Jenkins, an African American mother of six children from Portland, Oregon, was accused of shoplifting in a mistaken identity case. She waited months in court without a lawyer while a warrant and charges remained unresolved.
She received a letter in May 2025 stating she had been charged over an August 2023 alleged shoplifting incident at a Nordstrom outlet. The notice also said she failed to appear in court, which led to a warrant for her arrest. She said she had never been arrested before and expected the court visit would fix the mistake.
When she appeared for arraignment, Jenkins tried to explain her situation, but had no lawyer assigned. The judge told her no attorneys were available and placed her on a list of unrepresented defendants. She was instructed to keep returning to court or risk another warrant being issued.
At the time, about 1,280 defendants in the county were also waiting for public defenders. Oregon’s public defense system was overloaded, leaving thousands statewide without timely legal representation in ongoing cases. The Oregon Supreme Court later ordered dismissal of some cases where defendants waited too long for attorneys.
“It really makes you angry. This wasn’t me. I didn’t do it,” Jenkins told The Guardian. “But all I could do was just wait for an attorney.”
The case quickly disrupted her daily life. Jenkins worked at a senior living facility and feared losing her job because of background checks tied to the pending charge. She also worried she could be arrested in front of her children while the warrant remained active.
She returned for another court date months later while pregnant, but still had no attorney assigned. After missing a later hearing, another warrant was issued. The ongoing case also blocked job opportunities and added more pressure at home.
In October, Jenkins finally met a public defender. Her lawyer reviewed surveillance footage from the alleged incident and identified a mistaken identity issue. A woman who had been detained had given police Jenkins’ name, and officers linked it to Jenkins through a DMV photo match.
In December, her attorney submitted documents showing the error and pushed for dismissal. Prosecutors reviewed the records while the case remained delayed in the system. By January, Jenkins was removed from the case after officials confirmed the mistake and corrected the charge.
A district attorney spokesperson said police records initially supported the identification and that the matter was resolved once the error was discovered. Jenkins said the long delay left her stressed and anxious even after the case ended. She also said she worries about being wrongly accused again in the future.