Carlsbad Violent Crime Defense Attorneys

Skilled Criminal Defense Against Carlsbad Violent Crime Charges

In California, violent crimes involve serious threats or bodily harm to another or the use of a deadly weapon. Violent crimes are the most serious criminal offenses and carry the most severe penalties. If you are facing violent crime charges in Carlsbad, it is best to speak with an experienced Carlsbad criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. Call our firm at (760) 630-2000 to discuss your case.

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What Are Violent Crimes and Their Penalties in California?

The violent crimes category in California can range from simple assault and robbery to kidnapping, rape, and murder. Some violent crimes are misdemeanor offenses, while others are felonies. Nearly all violent crimes carry severe penalties, including jail time. Some may count as a strike on your record under California’s three-strikes law. Defendants with two strikes against them for serious or violent felonies can be sentenced to 25 years to life when convicted of a third serious or violent felony.

Examples of violent crimes in Carlsbad include:

• Assault: This is an act that is likely to result in the application of force on a person. It is simple assault when little or no injury results, which is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. Aggravated by use of a deadly weapon, assault carries penalties of up to 12 years in state prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
• Battery: Touching another person in a harmful or offensive manner with no legal excuse is battery. It is punishable by up to six months in county jail, a fine of up to $2,000, or both.
• Robbery: Using threats or force to take someone’s property against that person’s will is the felony offense of robbery, punishable in two degrees. Second-degree robbery carries up to five years in state prison, a fine of up to $10,000, or both. First degree robbery is punishable by a prison sentence of up to nine years, a fine of up to $10,000, or both.
• Kidnapping: This crime involves taking another person by force or fear a substantial distance without that person’s consent. It is a felony, punishable by up to eight years in state prison. The charge can be aggravated if kidnapping is accompanied by a demand for ransom, causes the victim to suffer serious bodily injury or death, occurs as part of carjacking, or involves the use of force, fear, or fraud on a child under the age of 14. Aggravated kidnapping carries a prison sentence of five years to life, depending on the facts of the case.
• Murder: Under the California Penal Code, murder is the unlawful killing of a human being or fetus with malice aforethought. Possible penalties include life in state prison without the possibility of parole and a fine of $10,000.

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What Are the Defenses Against Violent Crime Charges in Carlsbad?

When you have been charged with a crime in California, you have rights. You are innocent until proven guilty under the law, and you have a right to the best defense available. When our firm defends you against violent crime charges, we will thoroughly examine the prosecution’s case against you for any flaws. Our Carlsbad violent crime lawyer will raise every legal defense that applies in your case. Common defenses against violent crime charges include self-defense, defense of another person, false accusations, and misidentification.

At jD Law Criminal Defense Attorneys, we are seasoned legal strategists who firmly believe everyone deserves a second chance. Founding attorney James N. Dicks is a certified criminal law specialist. Call us today at (760) 630-2000 if you face violent crime charges in Carlsbad.

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