If you've been charged with criminal charges, use your rights provided by the constitution to prove your innocence. Start by hiring a criminal defense lawyer to help you through the legal process. They will evaluate your case, weigh its facts, and find a suitable approach to fight the charges. This article looks at some of the devices your criminal lawyer will employ to seek your freedom.
Claim That Your Arrest Was a Mistaken Identity
When the police investigate a crime, they interrogate different people who witnessed the crime to help them identify the main culprit. Usually, the witnesses describe the appearance of the criminal, helping the police narrow down their search to people that fit the description.
Unfortunately, the witnesses' descriptions can resemble your appearance, even if you have nothing to do with the crime. Besides, the actual offender can place allegations against you to cover for their crime. As a result, the police might arrest you thinking that you are a criminal. In this scenario, your lawyer will prove to the judge that the arrest was a mistake.
Allege the Offence Took Place As You Were Defending Yourself
The law gives you the right to defend yourself when someone attacks you in your home or business premises. In this case, your lawyer will argue that you used excessive force because your life was in danger. In addition, they will prove that the plaintiff could have injured you, prompting the action you took. However, the force you used against the intruder must be reasonable for you to get a lesser sentence or acquittal.
Claim That Your Charge Was Police Misconduct
The police need as much evidence as possible to prove that a criminal engaged in a particular crime. They must conduct a comprehensive investigation to get the required information. Unfortunately, if the investigators don't find the main suspect, they may arrest anyone linked to the crime.
If you fall victim to such a situation, your lawyer will conduct investigations to protest your arrest. They will then challenge the information in the police report and the strategies they used to collect evidence. Your legal advisor may also raise harassment issues if the police issued threats to compel you to accept the charges.
Being prosecuted for engaging in a crime does not mean that you're guilty. Instead, you can defend yourself to demonstrate that you have never engaged in criminal activities. But don't forget to hire a criminal lawyer at the onset of your claim. They will put together a criminal defense strategy that includes the above arguments to help you get a lesser sentence or an acquittal.