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Judge hearing lawsuit over $1M lotto ticket


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Reported by: David Goins
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Updated: 1/25/2012 5:46 pm Published: 1/25/2012 8:52 am

SEARCY, AR - The lottery says to play their games for fun. But there's nothing fun about a protracted legal fight.

Sharon Jones is defending herself for pulling a discarded ticket from a receptacle at the Super 1 Stop in Beebe.

It ended up being a one-million dollar winner.

Store manager Lisa Petriches sued, claiming all discarded tickets are hers for use in second chance or play it again games.

At issue is the can itself. It’s currently marked "Do not take."

Jones says the sign was not there on July 15, 2011 when she pulled the scratch off ticket out.

Rondi Smith works at the store and told the judge today that the "Do not take" sign was there the day Jones pulled the ticket out.

Testimony lasted all afternoon and both sides agreed they could not finish, so it's now continued to a later date.

Still, supporters of Jones say the lawsuit is nothing more than a money grab.

"There was never a sign there, this is all about greed. It's just simply greed."

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lynnea1 - 1/26/2012 2:09 PM
1 Vote
razbg--why dont you fill in all the 'sordid details' instead of acting like youre an insider? Give us the big surprise!

razbg - 1/26/2012 9:07 AM
0 Votes
There are way more layers to this story than what is made public, I was in the court room yesterday and when the other shoe falls. The truth comes out people will be surprised. dont judge until you know the facts.

cmducks - 1/26/2012 4:17 AM
3 Votes
If this lady was the store manager. What makes the ticket any more hers than anyone els? The article did'nt say she was the owner it said she was the manager. With that being said the trash is no more hers than anyone elses that wants to pick it up.The person that baut the ticket threw it away as trash and it was'nt a problem until it was discovered that it was a winner. I'll bet you could go to that same store today and start picking up trash off the parking lot and she would'nt have any problem with it. In fact she probobly would be thankfull you did becaus you've made her job a little easyer. But wait a minut if you find a winning ticket out there now you've stepped on her toes. No one wants the crappy work until there is a big paycheck that happens to come along. I say the lady that found the ticket in the trash..... It was her lucky day. Let her be. As for that stupid manager..... Due to her greed... She probobly wont see a lucky day like that. But if she does something is bound to come along and try to screw it up for her. I'me a firm beleiver that the way you treat people wether it be good or bad.... It always comes back around to you.

spyingonyou - 1/26/2012 3:30 AM
0 Votes
Convenience stores, or who ever sale lottery tickets , employees should not be allowed to keep tickets that has been thrown away, they should leave the store with what ever they came to work with hat , coat , purse , ect.

spyingonyou - 1/26/2012 3:18 AM
3 Votes
Most restaurants employees are not allowed to take leftover food home, the same should apply to convenience store employees.

Babylovey1 - 1/25/2012 9:46 PM
1 Vote
If the person who bought the ticket threw the ticket away a that specific gas station how did they know that it was a losing ticket unless someone who worked there told them it was a losing ticket with the intention of keeping it because all businesses who sell lottery tickets have scanners you can check to see if you won. Or the scanners don't really work to the purchasers favor. The scanners should be able to scan their own ticket instead of an employee of that business doing it for them. If I bought a lottery ticket I wouldn't throw it away without finding out first if it was a winner or not someone needs to check into that.

TheLastHuman - 1/25/2012 4:40 PM
4 Votes
The Supreme Court has already ruled in the past that you can not "steal" trash.

Lilred - 1/25/2012 4:06 PM
7 Votes
This is a prime example of the stupidity of folks regarding $ and $ that is not yours. The store manager says it all...the ticket was in a box to be discarded, trashed. If its trash and you don't dumpster dive then why do you care...you care cuz its a million dollars and your mad its not yours. Let the winner keep her winnings and stop fighting for what is NOT YOURS. Finders keepers. Hopefully the judge will agree.

Monroe - 1/25/2012 11:08 AM
2 Votes
This is going to be an exciting ruling by the judge, which ever the way he rules. Some gotta win, some gotta lose.

fasthog56 - 1/25/2012 11:02 AM
0 Votes
How about a split 500 grand each pretty sweet.
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