If you are facing charges for violent crimes, your freedom, finances, and future are all on the line and in need of fierce protection. Do not face these charges alone or with inferior legal representation. Instead, give yourself the best defense and the best opportunity to see your charges reduced or dismissed by contacting a Chino Hills violent crimes lawyer from Simmrin Law Group.
With a skilled defender by your side, you can have hope for your future.
What to Do After an Arrest for a Violent Crime
After your arrest, you will be taken to the police precinct for booking. A booking officer will record your identifying information and the details of the alleged crime as reported in the arrest report.
During this process, do not offer any information about the alleged crime or answer questions about the incident. Under your Miranda Rights, You have the “right to remain silent,” and you should, as the law also establishes that “anything you say can and will be used against you.”
California law gives arrestees the right to three phone calls within three hours of their arrest. Use those phone calls to secure expert legal representation from a Chino Hills violent crimes attorney from Simmrin Law Group.
Explaining Violent Crimes in Chino Hills, CA
An act performed with the intent of causing a victim harm is a violent crime. These acts often produce moderate or serious injuries or even the victim’s death. However, even if the perpetrator does not ultimately cause the victim serious injury, the intent to cause harm is enough to issue a violent crimes charge.
Typically, violent crimes fit the category of “violent felonies.” Those convicted of violent crimes or felonies can expect to face serious punishments.
Examples of Violent Crimes
California Penal Code 667.5 offers an extensive list of crimes classified as violent felonies. Among the felonies listed are:
- Attempted murder
- Murder
- Rape
- Robbery
- Assault
- Mayhem
- Kidnapping
- Arson
The code classifies as “violent” any felony punishable by a life sentence or the death penalty.
Violent Crimes Bring Serious Consequences
Felonies can be punished by years or life in prison, fines of up to $10,000, and in the most serious cases, such as first-degree murder, a death sentence.
Penalties for Arson
Offenders found to have intentionally and maliciously set fire to a structure, property, or forest land, can face charges ranging from 16 months to nine years in state prison, depending on what the offender burned, whether the space was inhabited, and if victims were harmed. Sentencing enhancements apply when victims experience great bodily injury (GBI).
Penalties for Murder
Perpetrators who intend to kill a victim and take purposeful steps to fulfill this intent but fail, can still be charged with attempted murder and sentenced to life in state prison.
Offenders who act with “malice aforethought,” but not deliberate premeditation, and unlawfully kill another person can be convicted of second-degree murder and face state prison sentences ranging from five to nine years.
First-degree murder convictions, which occur when an offender acts willfully and with premeditation to kill another, bring sentences ranging from 25 years to a lifetime in state prison, or the death penalty. First-degree murder charges apply to killings that occur during the commission of other premeditated crimes, such as carjackings, kidnappings, rapes, or robberies.
Additional Consequences of Violent Crimes Convictions
Violent crime convictions can bring additional consequences.
Sentencing Enhancements
Depending on how the act was committed, the offender’s criminal history, and the victims harmed, judges can add “enhancements” to sentences, extending offenders’ prison terms. For example, violent crimes harming children and the elderly are often eligible for enhancements.
A “Strike”
In California, felony offenders receive “strikes” for serious or violent felony convictions. A second strike can lead to a doubled prison sentence. A third offense brings the mandatory sentence of 25 years to life in prison.
Other Consequences
Further long-term consequences of violent crimes convictions include:
- Loss of voting rights while in state prison
- Deportation
- Loss of gun-ownership rights
- Required disclosure of the conviction on job applications, if asked
A Violent Crimes Attorney in Chino Hills Is the Legal Defender You Need
Your Chino Hills violent crimes attorney will protect you from unintentional self-incrimination and from having your words used against you by serving as your voice while you practice your right to remain silent. When you are questioned by law enforcement, your lawyer will make sure you know what to say and what not to say.
You can also count on your lawyer as a trusted adviser, helping you understand the charges against you and working with you to develop the best plan for your defense. It is important to be forthcoming and completely honest with your attorney. Whether proving your innocence or working to reduce the charges against you, your lawyer will:
- Investigate the incident fully. Your lawyer will examine all arrest and follow-up reports, speak with witnesses, request camera or video footage from security cameras, and pursue all other avenues of exculpatory information
- Collect evidence to prove your innocence or show your alleged participation in the criminal act does not fit the charges against you
- Negotiate with the prosecution. Your attorney will present evidence, expose weaknesses in the prosecution’s case, and present mitigating factors to have your charges and penalties reduced or dismissed
Do Not Take Chances with Your Freedom
Defend yourself against the serious consequences that come with a violent crime conviction by securing legal representation from a violent crimes lawyer in Chino Hills. The advocacy of a skilled defense lawyer can make a tremendous difference in your case, helping you avoid sentence enhancements, having felony charges reduced to misdemeanor offenses, or even having your charges dismissed. Contact Simmrin Law Group for a free consultation with a Chino Hills violent crimes attorney, and start protecting yourself today.