Building a Virginia Armed Robbery Defense

If someone is being investigated for theft with a weapon, an attorney could assist in building a Virginia armed robbery defense. Use of a firearm in the commission of a felony carries a mandatory minimum of at least three years in jail depending on what the person’s record is. Discuss your case with an established armed robbery attorney can help you plan your defense.

Likelihood of Facing Additional Charges

There are different things that a defense attorney will have to prove, depending on whether the person is charged with just robbery or robbery plus use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

What a defense attorney will do is going to depend on the facts of the person’s case to prepare, but a defense attorney is always going to focus on the factors that the prosecutor needs to prove.

If the person is facing a separate offense for use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, then they have to prove that the person had used or attempted to use certain items such as a:

• Pistol
• Shotgun
• Rifle
• Other firearms or displaying those firearms in a threatening manner

Because it is a separate offense, it is going to involve separate preparations by the defense attorney to disprove or push out into those different elements.

Expected Types of Evidence in a Robbery Case

If somebody is charged with armed robbery, the evidence is going to be different. It is going to depend on the case. Sometimes there is video, especially if it is a situation where somebody tries to rob a business or an institution.

There is almost always going to be video. If it is a situation where somebody tries to or does rob a person that is not inside a building, there could potentially be witnesses that take video.

Are Witnesses Involved in Theft Trials?

There are usually multiple witnesses used in building a Virginia armed robbery defense. There are often also physical evidence elements, like fingerprints on guns or weapons and injuries potentially from the person that the item was taken from or that was the intended victim. All of these things are types of evidence that could be available in this type of case.

Penalties Associated with Armed Theft Defenses

Armed robbery charges should be taken seriously. Someone can face up to life in prison and if they are charged with possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony. They could have a mandatory minimum amount of jail time. Someone does not let get out for that; they do not get any chance of having less than that. A person could potentially have three years or more, depending on what their record is, and up to life.

It is important to have somebody who knows the elements of building a Virginia armed robbery defense. This can be beneficial for the person to have a clear idea going forward of what is going to happen to them if they are convicted as well as what could potentially work in the person’s favor and what would have worked in the person’s favor. It is important.

When to Contact a Criminal Lawyer

A person should contact a criminal lawyer if charged with armed robbery immediately. Before they are charged, if the police call them and are trying to investigate, they need to have an attorney immediately. Even before the police talk to them, if they think there is a chance in the future that the police might be coming after them for an armed robbery charge, they should call a lawyer.