When someone is facing armed robbery charges in Fredericksburg, they face the potential to be convicted of a felony. Depending on the evidence and elements of the case, a person can be charged with prison time up to life. Since there are serious Fredericksburg armed robbery penalties, it is essential to have legal representation when someone is building a defense case. Theft with a deadly weapon is a serious criminal offense. Armed robbery offenses can be felonies or serious misdemeanors. Whether or not it is a felony or serious misdemeanor, it is judged very negatively if someone is convicted of any theft offense. An individual could lose their liberty, meaning they could go to jail or to prison. When the person’s liberty is on the line, they need to talk to a legal professional.
Armed robbery offenses can be felonies or serious misdemeanors. Whether or not it is a felony or serious misdemeanor, it is judged very negatively if someone is convicted of any theft offense. You could lose your liberty, meaning you could go to jail or to prison. When your liberty is on the line, you need to talk to a professional, particularly an experienced Fredericksburg armed robbery lawyer who handles cases like this.
Prosecutors do not have to prove anything to get somebody charged; they have to prove all the elements of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt to get a conviction. The only thing to prove is probable cause to a magistrate or demand a jury to get them charged. To prove that a robbery occurred, a robbery is a taking or attempt to take through threat, force, or intimidation, they have to prove that the person was armed or that the alleged victim reasonably believed that they were armed during that offense.
Theft is simply a taking; it does not have to have the force and does not have to have any of the elements of robbery. On the scale of seriousness for larceny offenses, theft is lower than any robbery. Robbery is a theft offense plus force, threat, or intimidation and they add the additional level of a weapon or simulated weapon and it becomes an armed robbery. There are two levels of seriousness up from just a simple theft offense.
Armed robbery is always a felony. If convicted, it means a person would have to be classified as a convicted felon and lose all the constitutional rights that accompany being a convicted felon, including the right to vote, the right to sit on a jury, the right to possess a firearm as well as other rights within the Commonwealth of Virginia and federally. In addition, there is a strong likelihood of a lengthy prison sentence due to the severity of the offense.
A Fredericksburg armed robbery lawyer can help their potential client make decisions throughout the case. Depending on the specific facts and circumstances of the case, a defense may be able to negotiate an armed robbery charge down to a theft charge. There are many cases in which plea negotiation may reduce the charge several levels, and other cases where it is simply a good decision to remove the sentencing phase from a jury’s hands. It varies based on the specific facts and circumstances of a case.
Depending on the facts and circumstances of the case, there may be a time in which plea negotiation takes place in a plea bargain or a plea deal is in the person’s best interest. An attorney will talk to the individual and make sure they understand the risk of stepping a plea agreement versus taking the case to trial and whether those risks are sufficient to incentivize the person one way or another. Ultimately, a decision of whether or not to step or make a plea agreement in a case is solely with the person. A Virginia defense attorney will never force them to do anything against their interest or desire. The lawyer will present the facts of the case in a way that gives their experience and knowledge of potential outcomes to assist you in making an important decision. If you are facing Fredericksburg armed robbery penalties, it is critical that they speak with a skilled lawyer.
Northern Virginia Criminal Defense Group
