I have had tickets before, so they give you 3 choices to plead, 1)guilty 2)not quilty, and 3) no contest. So if your anything like me, I would say not guilty. You won't be charged with lying under oath. I tend to believe that if you go in there and admit your guilt than the judged will probably make you pay without the cop there. If the cop told you to plead not quilty, then that is what I would do. Cops are really forward, and they don't tell you something that they don't mean. The worst that will happen is that you will be made to pay the fine, and if you can't pay it then, the courts will either set another court date, set up a payment arrangement scheduel or what the cop told you they will just dismiss it. Now if you are forced to pay it then pay it, because they can suspend your driving privilages over it, and that is another pain in the butt that can cost a lot of money.
Now I don't think that people should be parking in the handicap spot, but I do think that was overboard. If Bluemoon would have took the space if the parking lot was full then I could see the upset. She didn't hurt anyone. Personally I'm glad that you shared because if I ever get tempted to park where I'm not suppost to, I will remember your story. Just don't stress to much about it.