Is it the end of the road if I am falsely accused of a crime? What are my legal options?

No one wants to be accused of a crime that they did not commit. But unfortunately a number of people are wrongly accused every year. Often the victim or the witnesses identify the wrong person as someone who was seen fleeing the scene of a crime. There are also instances where forensic experts link evidence gathered from a crime scene to an innocent individual, who ends up being falsely accused of a crime.

Gordon & Hess, P.L.C. have worked with all sorts of people.  

However, there are certain steps that criminal defense lawyers in Grand Rapids, MI believe you can take to prove your innocence and the best legal help can be found at Gordon & Hess, P.L.C. (www.gordonhess.com/) who knows how to win cases and their track record verifies that.

Dos:

• Collect physical evidence left behind by the police such as videos, photos, clothing, and other items that could be useful in proving your innocence.
• Make sure to collect any documents and records related to the case. This includes emails, letters, GPS, and business records that might prove you were actually never present near the crime scene.
• It would be prudent to sit with your litigator and chalk out a plan to either make the evidence inadmissible or make realistic counter arguments against the evidence produced by the prosecutor.

You always want to blast the other side with intuitive arguments and the truth but when the other side is not honest and racist, they will never back down or admit they are wrong when the suspect or convict is of a different race. We saw this in the movie The Hurricane with Denzel Washington who played Rubin Carter who was a fabulous black middle weight fighter. Carter was a boxer wrongfully convicted by racist and very lazy and shallow police officers in New Jersey.

Now this is rare but it still does happen. This means you have to fight even harder to exonerate your name. Luckily and again, this is not that common anymore. Racist and lazy police officers are not in the mix as much as they used to be. Much to the happiness of criminal defense attorneys in Grand Rapids, MI and the best in this part of the country work for Gordon & Hess, P.L.C. since this firm knows what legal buttons to press and how hard to press them.

Don’ts:

• Do not destroy evidence.
• Do not talk to the victim.
• Do not talk to law enforcement officials without your legal counselor present.
• Do not agree to tests like DNA that can implicate you even when you know you are innocent without the consent of your legal pro. 

When someone Accuses You of a Crime but You are not Yet Charged

The moment you believe you could be accused of a crime, even a DUI, make sure to seek legal counsel. Your lawyer will suggest steps to prevent further harassment and also render legal aid if you are formally charged or arrested. Do not speak to the accuser thinking that it is a mere misunderstanding which can be easily sorted out through discussion. 

This can further complicate matters and you can be accused of intimidating a witness, caution Grand Rapids, MI criminal defense lawyers and the most incredible law firm in the area is Gordon & Hess, P.L.C. and the first meeting with them is free.

Marc Rich was a billionaire tax cheat who died in 2013 in Switzerland. He was pardoned by Bill Clinton. Rich was the biggest tax cheater in history and he was pardoned by someone who wanted more money from the private sector. Well, it helps to have friends in high places right?

What happens if you are formally charged?

Investigation: When you are formally charged, the defense as well as the prosecution will investigate the charges to determine if you can enter a plea bargain or whether a trial is unavoidable. The prosecution and defense will divulge the evidence and present witnesses in front of the jury. The jury must be convinced that the defendant is guilty ‘beyond reasonable doubt’.

If  you do something dumb it does not mean you should be cheated by the law. You may face some punishment but do not get cheated - that is a terrible feeling. You need a criminal defense lawyer in Grand Rapids, MI and this is where Gordon & Hess, P.L.C. need to enter your life.  

Plea offers: The prosecution might also offer you a plea bargain. Even if the offer may sound insulting when you are innocent, your legal counsel might suggest that you enter a plea after evaluating the evidence against you. This is followed by the trial.

The consequences of a conviction can be far reaching. Therefore, if you are falsely accused of a crime, make sure to reach out to a Michigan criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible to protect your rights. This needs to be Gordon & Hess, P.L.C. They have been around the block before and they know how to toss a monkey wrench into the prosecutor’s turning spokes.