DC Robbery Lawyer
Robbery involves taking anything of value through use of force, violence, seizure, snatching, or threats. To be classified as robbery, the item must have been taken directly from a person or from someone’s immediate possession. Penalties for robbery include between two and 15 years of imprisonment as well as a fine. There is an additional penalty for someone who is armed at the time of an alleged robbery making it imperative that a DC robbery lawyer is contacted as soon as you are charged. A criminal attorney in DC could help you make smart and informed choices throughout your involvement with the criminal justice system to help you avoid the most severe penalties for this serious crime.
Varying Degrees of Robbery Charges
A completed robbery is typically considered a felony charge while the attempted crime is a misdemeanor charge. A DC robbery lawyer knows that prosecutors could also have the accused individual tried on the charge of attempted robbery. Meaning, if the jury is not convinced the person completed a robbery but did meet the legal definition of attempting to do so they could seek to convict them of that charge. A charge for an attempt to complete a crime typically has lower level penalties than the completed offense.
Robbery vs. Theft
There are two major differences between robbery and theft. In a robbery, the accused uses physical force or violence in stealing the property belonging to another person. Additionally, in a robbery, the accused is stealing the property from the immediate possession of another person. These two additional elements of robbery are not required to prove a theft.
How Can Someone Face Conspiracy Charges in a Robbery Case?
Unlike an attempt to commit an offense, conspiracy is considered a completely distinct crime from robbery. For that reason, a person can be charged with both the crime of robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery. The prosecutor in a robbery case must prove that the person took property from the immediate possession of another person against that person’s will. They must also prove that the taking was by force or violence. If someone discovers that they are facing multiple theft or criminal charges the should contact a DC robbery lawyer right away.
Understanding the Burden of Proof for Conspiracy to Rob
Conspiracy requires the prosecutor to prove that the person, along with at least one other person, entered into an agreement with the others to commit a criminal act such as robbery. The prosecutor must also prove that the person on trial joined that agreement for the purpose of carrying out the conspiracy.
When there is no proof that more than one person was involved in the robbery, it is unlikely that they will also face conspiracy charges. Likewise, a person could be charged with conspiracy for entering into an agreement for the purpose of committing a robbery. When the overt act could be something along the lines of obtaining tools to be used in a robbery without the attempted act, prosecutors could potentially charge the accused with conspiracy to commit the robbery.
Indictments
Before prosecutors can take a person to trial on a robbery charge, prosecutors first need to obtain an indictment from a grand jury. An indictment means that a grand jury concludes there is probable cause to believe that a person committed a robbery after hearing evidence presented to them by the government.
Grand jury indictments are closed secret proceedings that do not involve judges or defense attorneys. They involve prosecutors presenting evidence and testimony to a group of Washington, DC residents who see the evidence, deliberate, and decide whether there is probable cause to move forward and take the case to trial. If the grand jury finds probable cause, they can issue an indictment which is the official charging document for a person to be tried for robbery.
Representation From A DC Robbery Lawyer
When someone is charged with robbery, from a defense lawyer’s perspective some very important information to obtain would include where the individual was, what they were doing, and who they were with at the time of the alleged crime. Any evidence to suggest or indicate that an individual was at any other location at the time the crime occurred will be very strong evidence in their favor.
If an individual was with anybody at the time of the alleged crime, their contact information will be helpful if they can provide information which would contradict the belief that that individual was involved in the robbery.
With respect to potential defenses, a lawyer will always consider the witnesses for the government to determine if there are any credible arguments that can be made. The defense lawyer would also investigate whether there may be any additional witnesses who can challenge the testimony of government witnesses.