No one wants to be a victim of crime, but nobody also wants to be accused of a crime, especially if they did not commit it. But circumstances in life can make people do certain things, and most of the time, the initial intention is not to hurt anyone, but only to get something that they desperately need. In such situations, anyone can be a victim or a perpetrator of a crime.
This is all the more common when it comes to a robbery. The movies have made it seem that getting away with a crime is easy, but even a simple robbery charge can be difficult to defend. Though you might be innocent, there are other factors such as evidence and motive that could affect a jury’s decision. Juries are not very sympathetic towards robbery suspects, so finding a lawyer who understands criminal law to defend you is essential. Here are some of the most effective defenses that lawyers often use to defend their clients.
Claim of Right
In this defense, your attorney will set out to prove that you took property which you believed in good faith. A good faith belief still holds water, even if it is unreasonable or mistaken. For a claim of right defense to be sufficient, the court takes into account all the facts which you knew at the time of obtaining the property. In such a situation, you have to prove that you and the other party had a previous understanding of the agreement, but you also need to show where and when the misunderstanding arose.
Use of Fear or Force
Use of fear or force to take someone’s property is one of the elements of a robbery charge. If you, however, obtained the property in question in a manner which does not induce fear or include force, then this element does not exist. As such, you cannot be condemned for robbery. In this case, you need to prove that the other party did not object or complied when you took ownership of the object.
Duress
You can get an acquittal if your attorney can prove that someone pushed you to commit a robbery. This might include a threat of death or bodily harm. Though difficult to sufficiently prove, duress is one of the most effective robbery defenses, and many people use this defense especially if they were asked by a friend to act as a driver, and become unwittingly the get-away driver.
Doing time often follows when you commit a crime, but if you have been falsely accused, you could pay the bond to get out of jail and look for someone who could help you with your case. According to FBI statistics, there are over 350,000 robberies annually, but not all of the suspects are convicted. The right defense and a good lawyer could help prove your lack of guilt, especially if you use one of the defenses presented above with excellent legal representation, you will significantly boost your chances of an acquittal.
