Orange County Violent Crime Attorney
If you are charged with a violent crime in California, you could be facing
some of the most serious consequences possible in the state. Violent crimes
(including rape,
murder,
sexual battery,
assault,
battery, carjacking,
manslaughter, and
robbery) are generally classified as
"strike" crimes, meaning that if you are convicted of one of these offenses, you will
have a "strike" on your record. The second time you are convicted
of a crime, you will receive a heavier sentencing, and the third time,
you could spend your life in prison.
Due to the severity of these offenses, it is absolutely vital to the future
of your case that you enlist the help of an experienced, aggressive and
knowledgeable attorney. An Orange County
criminal defense lawyer at The Law Office of Bruce C. Bridgman can provide you with experience,
as the firm has successfully defended countless individuals from a wide
variety of violent criminal charges in California. When you are faced
with serious punishments, you need to be sure that you can trust your
attorney to give you the best chance at a positive outcome in your case.
Penalties for Violent Offenses
The penalties for violent offenses vary drastically from case to case.
Not only are there different punishments mean to fit the crime, but the
court will also take into account any prior offenses and violent offenses
on a person's record. For example, if someone has been convicted of
two prior felonies, and they are arrested for a third felony that is violent,
they could face 25 years to life imprisonment without the possibility
of parole due to
California's Three Strikes Law.
California is also a state that upholds the death penalty or "capital
punishment" by way of lethal injection as a punishment for certain
types of first-degree murder such as murder by way of torture. To learn
more about the penalties for murder, refer to California Penal Code §
187. Assault and battery are violent offenses detailed in Chapter 9 of
the Penal Code and other crimes against the person of both a sexual and
non-sexual nature are outlined in Title 9 Chapters 1 through 5.
Defending the Rights of the Accused
The violent crime statistics, particularly in Southern California, are
high. Cities closer to Los Angeles County begin to see spikes in violent
crime rates, while the Federal Bureau of Investigation statistics of late
seem to indicate a drop in violent crime and overall crime rates in the
O.C. For example, in 2011 the overall crime rate for the county fell by
four percent. The largest decrease was in violent crimes, while property
crimes remained virtually the same. The Orange County Register reports
that other Orange County cities such as Irvine and Anaheim did not follow
this pattern, with Irvine staying the same and Anaheim increasing 10 percent.
Due to the heavy concern over violent crimes and in response to the ever-changing
crime statistics, the California courts are very strict when dealing with
violent criminal cases. Depending upon the circumstances of your case,
you could even face a lifetime in prison or the death penalty in cases
of murder. Prosecutors in California courts are very determined to see
violent criminals put away to the greatest extent of the law. You face
the serious risk of suffering an extremely and overly severe punishment.
For serious offenses, you need strong representation from an
Orange County violent crime lawyer on your side.
That is why it is so important that you allow a defense lawyer from their
firm to help provide you with the litigation skills, advice and representation
that you need. Even if you are innocent of any charges, it is still very
important that you speak with a lawyer. Nothing could be worse than spending
years in prison for a crime that you didn't commit. To learn more
about legal defense,
contact The Law Office of Bruce C. Bridgman for a free consultation today!