Facing criminal charges in Georgia can be one of the most difficult things you ever have to experience. Regardless of what crime you are accused of committing, if you are convicted, you will likely have to face legal consequences, as well as long-term effects on your life. A criminal defense attorney can help come up with an effective defense strategy to combat the charges against you.
When charges are brought against you, it is the prosecutor’s burden to prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. While “innocent until proven guilty” is the basis of the criminal justice system, it is in your best interest to poke holes in the prosecution’s arguments against you and present your own evidence to convince the judge and jury of your innocence. Even if you cannot prove your complete innocence, if you tell your side of the story, you could still be found not guilty or be convicted on reduced charges.
There are many defense strategies commonly used in criminal cases. Generally, the prosecution and the defense will view the same set of facts in two completely different ways. Both sides will attempt to tell the truth in a way that looks best for their side. For defense attorneys, it is especially important to tell the story in a way that shows the defendant’s innocence and garners sympathy for the defendant, while maintaining accuracy. Defense attorneys will often conduct mock interviews to help prepare defendants for court.
In addition to telling the defendant’s story in the right way, it is important for defense attorneys to weigh a witness’s credibility. In many cases, eyewitness testimony isn’t reliable, as the witness may not be sure of what they saw, and police may have wrongfully relied on a weak witness to build a case against the defendant. In other cases, police will use a confession given by a defendant who was under duress or otherwise coerced or they obtained the confession as a result of unconstitutional questioning. Defense attorneys may file a pre-trial motion to have this type of confession suppressed.
There are many ways to defend yourself against criminal charges with the help of an attorney. The first step is scheduling an initial consultation with a criminal defense attorney to discuss your case.
