The definition of robbery is using violence with specific intent to steal another party’s property. Robbery is a serious crime with serious consequences. That is why it is important to move forward with the best defense you can muster. Defendants in robbery cases have two options: either to convince a jury that the prosecution’s evidence is too weak to prove the allegations, or to use “affirmative defense,” where the defense argues that elements of the case remove the defendant’s culpability for the crime.
There are a few different defenses that your lawyer can use to help have your charges reduced or dropped entirely. Here are some of the key defenses attorneys often use:
- In robbery cases, the prosecution must be able to prove that the defendant committed the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. If the defense can cast any reasonable doubt over the prosecution’s evidence, then a jury is likely to acquit.
- The defendant may be able to use intoxication as a means of affirmative defense in a robbery case. For example, perhaps the defendant’s intoxicated state would make it impossible for he or she to form the specific intent needed for a crime to be considered robbery.
- A duress defense can be difficult to prove. In short, the defendant must be able to show the court that the robbery was committed under threat of death or bodily harm. However, juries may still reject the duress defense if the defendant is unable to prove that they truly believed that they were risking death or harm by not committing robbery.
Our Dallas-Fort Worth criminal defense attorneys can help put together a robust and aggressive defense to help you in your robbery case.
