How Do People Typically React To Being Arrested For A Crime?
I have seen many different reactions to this situation. One is a healthy fear of the power of the prosecution and the immediate awareness that you need to contact an attorney. These individuals are very proactive in trying to secure advice and help. Two is the indignant response of, “I didn’t do anything wrong. Why am I being arrested? Why am I being prosecuted?” I have had clients who have exhibited these responses at one point or another, and I can work towards a good resolution to either type of clients’ case.
It is a very personal reaction and experience for everyone who goes through the process of being arrested for a crime. People say that the death of a close family member, going through a divorce, and moving from one home to another, are three of the most stressful things that a human being can undergo in their life! Certainly, being arrested or charged with a crime, even a petty offense like a misdemeanor, puts people through the same type of stress because the situation becomes all consuming…it becomes the focus of your life for the immediate future.
Advice For People Contemplating A Guilty Plea In A Criminal Case
There are typically two viewpoints when it comes to criminal defense work. One is that criminal defense lawyers are terrible people because they are trying to get criminals off, they are trying to help people avoid responsibility for their actions. Two is the viewpoint that criminal defense attorneys are helpful, necessary, to make sure that someone holds the prosecution accountable for their burdens to charge cases with a reasonable likelihood of conviction and to prove their cases beyond a reasonable doubt. Defense attorneys protect the rights of all citizens who are accused of a crime, they are the gatekeepers of the criminal justice system. There are most definitely people that are accused of crimes who did not commit the crimes they are accused of; however, the more common situation involves people that engaged in abnormal behavior, or they have made some type of mistake. The behavior is out of character, it is not typical, so they are not trying to get off or avoid responsibility for their actions, rather, they are looking for an appropriate, fair, and just resolution to their case. I work with those types of clients every day.
I also work with clients who say, “Listen, I am absolutely responsible for this. I just want to resolve this quickly.” The reality is that I typically tell those people that that is a great attitude to have. However, I am not going to have my client plead guilty to anything until I have read all of the police reports and reviewed all of the evidence in the case. I am not looking for technicalities to get my client off, but I am making sure, at the end of the day, that the punishment fits the crime. More often than not, that is the value an attorney provides!
I tell my clients that I want to have a full understanding of the facts in their cases. I want my clients to have that peace of mind that someone looked under every rock, considered every defense, and that the deal they took was the best deal for them. I try to work with my clients so they understand I have received all of the discovery in their case because they have the right to make an informed decision about how to resolve their case. My clients have a right to see if the police did something inappropriate. They have a right to know whether the police interviewed them with or without reading their Miranda warnings. They have a right to know whether a search for evidence took place with or without a search warrant. All of this is not just important in one client’s case. It is important to hold our police and prosecution agencies to the highest standards. So, no, I rarely tell clients that it is a good idea to just go in and get it over with.
This is why you hire me! I deal with the court dates, with the gathering of police reports and evidence, with the interviews of police and witnesses, so that you can make a decision without having to sacrifice all that time and energy yourself. Most importantly, you hire me so you know that you got the best defense for you.
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