Have you been falsely accused of a crime you didn’t commit? You’re not alone. There are two sides to every story, and just because you’re the one being accused, doesn’t necessarily mean you’re guilty. Although statistics show that the annual rate of aggravated assault and battery has steadily decreased since 1990, there are still thousands of cases of battery in the United States every year.
If you’ve been accused of battery, consult a battery lawyer in Tampa to bolster your defense and ensure your innocence is preserved. A knowledgeable criminal defense lawyer can use surefire legal strategies to help you overcome the daunting experience of being accused of a violent crime. In this two-part series, we will outline some of the strongest legal defenses to help keep you from unjust accusations and prosecution.
Many cases deserve to be thrown out from the beginning. Plaintiffs and victims are often put under extreme duress when they are assaulted, which can lead to misidentification and faulty statements about what happened when the crime took place, as well as confusion about the true identity of the aggressor. You could be accused of a crime you didn’t commit simply by resembling the aggressor, or by being wrongfully accused by a bystander.
Florida is a “stand-your-ground” state, which means residents are allowed to protect themselves using whatever means necessary if they feel their life is in immediate danger, or if the situation results in enough duress to significantly affect the defendant’s right to choose between violence and nonviolence. This is a strong legal defense because actions aren’t always considered crimes when the situation warrants a violent response.
In the past, police have been prosecuted for coercing false confessions from innocent suspects. Police interrogation techniques are designed to pressure suspects into admitting crimes. In many cases, the duress of the moment combined with the accusatory line of questioning can lead to a false confession. Breaking down a suspect’s mental state using physical threats, starvation, and sleep deprivation is relatively common during interrogation, but experienced criminal defense attorneys are skilled at spotting signs of coercion, and producing evidence to have false confessions tossed out.
Deliberate crimes are punished more rigidly than accidental crimes. Although this can be tough to prove in a court of law, if your criminal defense attorney can show that you committed a violent crime accidentally, you can receive a significant reduction on your initial charges.
A strong legal defense can prevent you from being convicted of a crime you didn’t commit. In part two, we will continue to explore the best legal defenses for ensuring your innocence.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.