If you’ve been charged with a felony or even a misdemeanor, it doesn’t really matter – for most people, a criminal charge is still a criminal charge. However, without the right representation, many people find themselves in a bind even further than they could imagine, and with longer sentences.
While it may not seem like a plea deal is what you want, sometimes this may be the recommendation by a good defense lawyer. In this guide, we’re going to tell you of some criminal defense attorneys’ secrets that have helped them win the case almost every time. It’s good to know what cards they may try to pull for you (or for someone if you’re on the prosecuting side)! Here are the five top criminal defense secrets that lawyers can use to their advantage.
1. Invalid Witness Identities
A lot of times, the defense attorneys will pay very close attention to witnesses that are called to the stand. This happens a lot more times than it should, but many people simply look for someone who looks like the suspect at large. Mistaking the identity of the perpetrator can often lead to false arrests, and even more problems.
2. Accidental Offense
There are numerous times when someone commits a crime simply because they don’t know the laws in the area that the crime is committed. This is actually a very frequent happening from foreigners and new immigrants, but it’s not limited just to them. Many people may not know of a new law that has been passed, or even the police not being used to new laws in effect. For example, there was a man who was legally allowed to have marijuana in the state of Missouri (with a card) – police ended up arresting him for possession after he was previously released on marijuana charges, got his card, and the law passed stating that he could be in legal possession of it so as long as to not distribute it.
3. Immediate Danger – Crimes of Defense
This one is very common when it comes to assault charges, and can even downplay a murder charge to a manslaughter charge if it is proven to be self-defense. A lot of times someone may end up fearing for their life and therefore when they act out or retaliate, they aren’t in their sound mind. Lawyers know the science behind this, and can use this to prove that a person wouldn’t do this if they were not in the situation that put them in the courtroom in the first place.
4. Reasonable Doubt is a Lawyer’s Best Friend
A lot of time, there are minor details that may be missed, and this can create what’s called reasonable doubt. This is a VERY common one that’s in every lawyer’s handbook. If there’s a shred of doubt, lawyers can use this tool to prolong cases – and in some cases get the charges removed altogether!
5. A Good Alibi Can Save a Lot
Defendants have enough of their own credibility to defend, but not as much as if they have a valid alibi. While sometimes it turns out that these are false, there are many times that this can literally save someone the trouble of being accused of being a prime suspect.
Conclusion
If you are in need of the right defense attorney, you may want to ask them what their plan is and see how personable they are. You’ll want to talk strategy with Legal Powers of Franklin Tennessee and they should always be completely open. Don’t ever hesitate to ask a question to your attorney and let them do their job speaking for you – they’re here to protect you and this may include not letting you incriminate yourself!