Virginia Beach Armed Robbery Lawyer
In Virginia, there is not a separate armed robbery statute. It is all part of the Virginia Robbery Code. However, one thing that can elevate robbery is the use of a weapon and, in that case, it is where an individual either uses a weapon to get the item that they want or claims to have a weapon. This element gives the individual reason to believe that they have a weapon.
The element of a weapon changes the case to armed robbery. Making someone feel threatened makes the charges received much more serious. It is important to contact a Virginia Beach defense lawyer once charged to begin building a strong defense.
Collecting Evidence
Often, an individual may have an alibi. Therefore, a Virginia Beach armed robbery lawyer will identify and locate alibi witnesses to see if there are people who can establish that the client was not at the scene of the crime.
Also, the Virginia Beach armed robbery attorney will look at possible witness statements from people who were there who saw what happened and can possibly contradict the story that the client is being accused, for instance, taking something from another person or beating up somebody and taking a wallet. If a third party saw something different, then that version could be used to help the case.
Consequences of Armed Robbery in Virginia Beach
Armed robbery is a felony and punishable by up to life in prison. Also, if an individual used a firearm to commit a robbery, there is often a separate use of a firearm in the commission of a felony charge and that carries with it a mandatory three-year jail sentence.
An individual is looking at a felony conviction with a lengthy prison sentence. One will lose the right to possess a firearm and will have to disclose that he or she is a convicted felon on any applications or anything like that in the future. If charged with armed robbery in Virgina Beach, the consequences can be extremely serious. However, the harshest penalty can be serving life in prison.
Preparing a Defense
First, the Virginia Beach armed robbery lawyer will talk to the client to get an idea of their version of events. If this is a case where the client is saying another person committed the crime or if this is a situation where the client was there but did not commit the act they are being charged with, the attorney will start going through the evidence against the client.
The Virginia Beach armed robbery attorney will see if there are witness statements, what the alleged victim is saying and what the police report says. Additionally, checking to see if there are any surveillance footage that can be used is crucial in building a case.
Plea Deal
A Virginia Beach armed robbery lawyer will assess the strength of the client’s case and the strength of the Commonwealth’s case. Sometimes, an agreement with the prosecutor can be reached where the benefit of taking the deal is good for the client. In situations where there is a great risk of a significant jail sentence against the client, but a deal with the prosecutor can eliminate this risk, an experienced attorney will most likely encourage the client to take a deal.
How an Attorney Can Help
An experienced Virgina Beach armed robbery lawyer will see problems with the case and can make it clear to the Commonwealth that, at trial, they intend to exploit those weaknesses be it witness identification or conflicting statements between witnesses. A prosecutor who knows the Virginia Beach attorney is local and knows how to take that into consideration when making any decision as to how to proceed.
The penalties for a robbery, when using a weapon or using a firearm, are more severe than if an individual just used their fists or their words. In terms of a robbery, a person is looking at much more jail time. In some instances, the jail time is almost doubled. Because of the potentially lengthy jail time, a person should obtain the services of a Virgina Beach armed robbery attorney as soon as possible so a lawyer can immediately begin working on the case for the best possible outcome.
