Prince George’s County Robbery Lawyer
Robberies are among the most serious charges that a prosecutor can pursue in Maryland’s criminal courts. These are always felony level offenses where a conviction can result in multiple years in prison. As a result, people who are facing charges of robbery can often be confused and intimidated.
A Prince George’s County robbery lawyer could help individuals understand Maryland’s criminal law as it applies to robbery, to provide insight as to the potential penalties for a conviction, and to develop a defense strategy designed to create reasonable doubt in the minds of jurors. Speak with a determined theft attorney that could advocate for you.
Maryland Laws Regarding Robbery
Maryland’s criminal statutes do not provide a specific definition of robbery. Instead, Md. Criminal Law Code Ann. §3-401 provides some definitions of the elements of a robbery charge. Subsection (e) states that robbery “retains its judicially determined meaning,” but adds the additional provision that it is illegal to obtain a service by force or threat of force.
The classic definition of a robbery is any theft that is achieved by force or through the threat of force. The simplest example of this is a mugging on the street. If a defendant says to another person, “Give me your money or I’ll beat you,” this is an attempted theft achieved by a threat.
It does not matter if the defendant actually hits the alleged victim, or if the defendant gets away with any money. The mere fact that the defendant used the threat of force to attempt a theft counts as a robbery.
Penalties for Robbery Offenses
Md. Criminal Law Code Ann. §3-402 states that a conviction for robbery is a felony where a court may sentence a defendant to up to 15 years in prison. Courts will also typically order a guilty party to pay restitution for the value of any items taken.
The presence of a weapon of any kind, or the threat of the use of a weapon, can enhance the available penalties. It is essential that individuals who are facing a robbery charge take every precaution to protect their future.
Defending Robbery Charges
Robbery charges can be very nuanced cases. Alleged victims are typically scared and shaken after the event. As a result, their recollection of the event may be jumbled or even completely fabricated. Their identification of the supposed perpetrator must be examined with extreme scrutiny. Even third parties who claim that they have witnessed a robbery can provide inexact statements about what they saw.
Prince George’s County robbery lawyers could work to impeach the credibility of the accuser as well as third-party witnesses. In addition, lawyers work to defeat evidence provided by the prosecutor that may include:
- Surveillance footage
- Forensic evidence such as alleged defendant DNA on the complainant
- Whether a weapon was present at the scene
Attorneys may also work to convince the court to lessen the severity of the charge. Robbery is in many ways a severe form of theft. Since prosecutors are required to prove that the theft was committed through the use of force or threat of force, a defense attorney may argue that there is insufficient evidence of force.
If successful, this can result in the charge being reduced to one of simple theft. This greatly reduces the potential penalties for a conviction.
How a Prince George’s County Robbery Attorney Could Help
Charges involving robbery are always serious matters that require an individual’s full attention. A conviction for even the most minor version of this crime is a felony where the court may sentence a person to a prison term of up to 15 years.
A Prince George’s County robbery lawyer could work with you to prevent this from happening. Attorneys examine every portion of the prosecutor’s case from the alleged victim statements, to any witnesses who say that they saw the incident, to any surveillance footage of the scene.
They work to create reasonable doubt in the minds of juries that either the defendant was the one who committed the robbery, or that the theft was achieved through the use of force. Contact an attorney today to schedule a consultation.