Armed robbery is a serious offense and the severity of the offense is compounded because of the use of force. One of the harshest West Palm Beach armed robbery penalties a person could face is 25 years in prison if the person does not have a firearm, or life in prison if the person is armed with a firearm. With so much at stake, it is important to get in touch with a determined armed robbery lawyer who can build your case by gathering necessary evidence and examining it properly in your West Palm Beach armed robbery case.
Understanding the Crime
When collecting evidence in an individual’s West Palm Beach robbery case, the attorney will attempt to determine who the alleged victim is and why they are claiming that the individual had committed the armed robbery in the first place.
The lawyer will also profile the person that is claiming to have been robbed. A lawyer will try and understand if this is a drug deal gone bad, or if someone was robbed while they were trying to get into the car in a parking lot, for example. The answers to these questions often determine the strength of the case both for the individual and the prosecution, so it is very important to know this when preparing beginning to gather evidence for a West Palm Beach armed robbery charge.
Misdemeanor or a Felony Charges
Robbery is a theft offense with the use of force. Armed robbery is a theft with the use of force while a person is armed with a weapon. That is always going to be a felony offense. If a person is convicted of armed robbery in West Palm Beach, they are looking at a maximum sentence of up to 25 years in prison. If they are convicted of robbery with a firearm or deadly weapon, they are looking at a sentence of up to life in prison.
Examining the Evidence
When further preparing a defense in an individual’s West Palm Beach robbery case, a lawyer is going to examine any and all relevant evidence. They will look at the criminal record of a client, or lack thereof, and the reputation of all the parties involved in bringing the charges.
A lawyer will examine the professionalism of the crime scene investigators and the detectives that allegedly gathered the evidence against the individual. A lawyer will want to understand whether it was properly gathered and preserved, and if the correct rules were followed. Violations can sometimes lead to exclusion of important evidence against someone when defending a West Palm Beach armed robbery charge.
An experienced lawyer will look at the photo lineup if it was presented to an alleged victim to identify the person. They will also be looking at any forensic evidence or DNA evidence that may help build an effective defense strategy against an individual’s West Palm Beach armed robbery charge. A lawyer is going to be looking at every shred of evidence that there is and determine any potential ways to challenge it from being used against the person. If the evidence is used, a lawyer can aim to lessen the impact of the penalties.
The type of evidence present in the case is going to depend upon the evidence presented. A lawyer is going to try and present evidence that contradicts, rebuts, or calls into doubt the evidence that is being presented against the client. That is what an experienced West Palm Beach criminal defense attorney will do when preparing evidence in an individual’s West Palm Beach armed robbery case.
