Negotiating a Robbery Charge in Columbia
When someone is facing a robbery charge in Columbia, Maryland, they may wish to seek means of reducing or mitigating, their charge, or its consequences. There are different means by which this can be done, but it is always helpful to have the assistance of a Columbia robbery attorney when attempting to negotiate such a charge.
Taking a Plea Deal
A plea deal is something an attorney will discuss with their clients only after they have exhausted all other avenues to having the charges dismissed. The attorney will have conversations with their clients about a plea deal once a determination is made that they received all of the evidence they requested, thoroughly reviewed it, and conducted their own formal investigation.
If, at that point, they reviewed the paperwork and believe that their case may not be a hundred percent winnable, they discuss with the prosecutor the possibility of some kind of resolution. Once they reach a resolution with the prosecutor that they believe to be fair, they present it to their client. They give their client an assessment of whether they think this is in their client’s best interest to accept the offer based on the facts and circumstances that were discovered during the course of the investigation.
The final decision is ultimately the client’s to take or reject any plea offer. Even if it is against the lawyer’s advice, clients accept plea offers from the prosecution that they believe to be the most appropriate for their own lifestyle and for their own personal consequences. In other circumstances, an attorney might encourage their client to accept the plea offer and they might reject it for the same reason. The final decision is always the client’s.
Robbery and Theft in Columbia
In Columbia, robbery is the same thing as a theft, if the theft involves the use of force or the threat of use of force. The difference in robbery is in the use of force or the threat to use force that the prosecutors are required to prove.
A robbery charge can be negotiated to a theft charge after a full investigation is conducted, if discovery is reviewed, and the defense is able to find flaws in the government’s case. That could include flaws in the evidence, flaws in the credibility of witnesses, or any other number of issues that are lacking in the presentation of their case.
A prosecutor who might see those issues and identify them as being problems with the case, but not necessarily catastrophic, may decide it is in the state’s best interest to not dismiss the charges altogether, but reduce them to theft charges as opposed to robbery charges.
Whether or not the client is inclined to accept that offer is something that is reviewed between the attorney and client before any decisions are made.
Hiring an Experienced Defense Attorney
Robbery is a very serious charge. It carries the possibility of a period of incarceration and is also a crime of moral turpitude. This means the consequences of a robbery charge extend beyond the courtroom and could affect a person’s ability to gain employment, apply for certain certifications, and apply for certain kinds of employment. For that reason, it is important for an individual charged with robbery to hire a defense attorney for these kinds of charges, in order to make sure they are adequately represented.