When you pick up any newspaper or watch any local news program, you’ll see that there are always multiple reports of armed robberies. Stories of convenience stores and delivery drivers getting mugged at gunpoint are disturbingly familiar, as thieves take dangerous chances in hopes of getting what usually amounts to a small amount of money. According to federal statistics, the average commercial robbery nets $1,589, while the average convenience store robbery nets even less, at $769. Hiring a criminal lawyer in Winnipeg is something that people should look into at first when they realize they are charged with armed robbery charges.
Degrees of Robbery
Every state sets its criminal justice laws, but for the most part, there are a great many associations for certain crimes, especially the more serious ones. You should understand the degrees at which you could be charged with robbery, before contacting a criminal lawyer in Winnipeg. Generally, state statutes include three degrees of robbery, all of which are categorized as levels of felonies — the various degrees depending on the independent details of the incident.
Robbery in the first degree occurs when:
- The defendant induces serious physical harm to any person not partaking in the crime; or
- The defendant is outfitted with a deadly weapon; or
- The defendant uses or threatens usage of a hazardous object; or
- The defendant displays or threatens to use what he describes to be a firearm.
Robbery in the second degree occurs when:
- Another party assists the defendant in the commission of the theft; or
- The defendant or another participant displays or threatens to use what is represented to be a firearm; or
- The larceny occurs on the premises of a banking facility and involves the intimidation of a bank employee in furtherance of the offense.
Robbery in the third-degree occurs when, in the course of committing a larceny, a defendant uses or threatens to use immediate force upon another person to:
- Prevent or overcome resistance to the larceny; or
- Compel the owner of the property or another person to deliver the property.
The disparity between theft and robbery charges is often the use of force. Also, unlike general theft or burglary charges, robbery does not account for the value of the property taken. It is an assault that focuses on the use of force. The seriousness of a robbery charge should not be underestimated. A felony conviction not only affects a defendant’s freedom but also the eligibility to vote or own a firearm in the future. However, there are numerous defenses to a robbery that can be asserted by an experienced criminal lawyer in Winnipeg.
For robbery in the first degree, if the defendant’s weapon was not capable of actually firing a shot, that is a reasonable defense to the charges. Your criminal lawyer in Winnipeg may also be able to assert mistaken identification or lack of intent to successfully obtain a not guilty verdict.
Have You Been Charged?
If you are facing robbery charges, or any other criminal charge, you need a criminal lawyer who will aggressively fight to protect your rights against an often-overzealous prosecutor. In case you want to contact a criminal lawyer in Winnipeg to learn how they can help defend your rights and freedom, you can do so with the help of Google Maps, and Yelp.