Prince George’s County Stalking Lawyer
Prince George’s County charges for stalking and harassment carry serious penalties upon conviction. If you ultimately sustain a conviction for stalking, the sentencing judge in your case could impose misdemeanor penalties, including a maximum fine of $5,000. A judge could also sentence you to between 90 days and five years in jail, depending upon the facts, circumstances, and seriousness of your criminal offense.
Stalking charges are oftentimes a case of he-said, she-said. If the State has charged you with stalking, your best choice of action is to retain an experienced criminal defense lawyer to represent you throughout your legal matter and assist you in court. A Prince George’s County stalking lawyer could assist you with your case and represent you during all criminal court proceedings.
Defining Stalking in Prince George’s County
Stalking is a criminal offense noted in the Maryland Criminal Code. This statute defines stalking as repeatedly approaching or pursuing another person with the specific intention of placing that individual in reasonable apprehension of any of the following:
- Any form of assault under the law
- Serious bodily harm
- Rape or another other sexual offense noted in the Maryland Criminal Code
- Death
- Kidnapping
- False imprisonment
- Electronic harassment
Some actions, on the other hand, do not amount to stalking in PG County. For example, if the accused undertakes a course of action to comply with a valid court order, to carry out some commercial purpose, or to comply with some other legal requirement, the accused arguably does not engage in a stalking crime.
A stalking attorney in Prince George’s County could help you determine if the State prosecutor likely satisfied their burden of proof in your criminal case.
Defenses to a Stalking Crime
Prosecutors in PG County have the burden of proving that the accused committed a stalking or harassment crime beyond a reasonable doubt. This is a difficult burden to satisfy, and in order to overcome this heavy burden, the prosecutor must prove every element of the stalking offense. If the prosecutor fails to prove even one element of the charge, then the accused’s case might be subject to dismissal.
A PG County stalking attorney could assist by raising one or more legal defenses on the accused’s behalf. For example, the accused might argue that they did not have the necessary specific intent to cause assault, rape, serious bodily harm, or death at the time of the offense. The accused could also contend, through witness testimony, that they were somewhere else at the time(s) the alleged stalking incident(s) occurred and that they were not present at the scene.
How a Prince George’s County Stalking Attorney Could Help
In addition to sustaining a stalking charge, you could also be facing charges for related criminal offenses, including harassment, telephone misuse, misuse of electronic mail, or misuse of a laser pointer. All of these charges could incur separate (and additional) penalties upon conviction.
Given the serious penalties associated with stalking charges and other related offenses, it is not a good idea to represent yourself in court. Instead, you should consider hiring an experienced criminal defense lawyer to represent you throughout your criminal matter.
A Prince George’s County stalking lawyer could assist you with fighting your criminal charge by building a strong defense on your behalf and asserting that defense in a court of law.