For many people, their identities are tied in with their car. These important pieces of machinery define many people and are sometimes the most valuable thing a person owns. Not only that, many of use rely on our cars to perform essential daily activities. Therefore carjacking is treated with very serious penalties in Virginia. If you have been charged with this crime, it is important to contact a Virginia carjacking lawyer right away.
While many people think carjacking and grand theft auto are the same crime, there is one important distinction between the two: violence. An essential element of carjacking is taking a vehicle by using “force, threats, intimidation or any other form of violence”. Therefore in order to secure a conviction, it is vital for the state to prove this element of the crime. A skilled lawyer can cast reasonable doubt on the guilt of a defendant. If they can do this, the charges may be significantly reduced or even thrown out.
There are also many cases of mistaken identity when it comes to carjacking. Often these crimes occur at night with the assailant’s face covered. Therefore the state will often rely on the victim’s identifying the perpetrator with little in the way of physical evidence. And because these victims are under extreme duress during the alleged carjacking, details can get muddled and facts misremembered. Long prison sentences have been handed down only to be vacated when it turns out these eyewitnesses are incorrect. Therefore it is important to find a an attorney who will aggressively question the evidence and ensure that the right person has been identified in a given crime.
This is important because carjacking is extremely serious offense in the commonwealth of Virginia. If you are convicted of carjacking charges, you may be facing 15 years up to life in prison. It is clear then that the stakes are extremely high as even a light prison sentence means spending 15 years of your life behind bars. This charge requires a serious criminal defense attorney to fight these serious charges. And if someone was injured in the course of this carjacking, it could result in assault and battery charges as well. With these charges combined, it is important to hire an attorney with experience in all areas to ensure against all threats against your liberty.
If you have been charged with carjacking, contact The Law Offices of Patrick N. Anderson and Associates in Virginia today. As one of the largest and leading criminal and traffic defense firms, we have the experience and expertise to fight for you. When you hire this law firm, we will work tirelessly to find any defenses for your case or work to get the charges reduced. No matter what the facts are surrounding your case, we will make it our mission to get you the best outcome possible.
With 34 years of successfully representing all types of criminal cases, we are confident in our abilities to help you. We treat each of our clients as part of our family and will provide you with the solid representation you deserve. We will work to answer all questions and give you a person in your corner at all times working for you. We will keep you informed of the proceedings and promptly return all phone calls. Our focus on the client means that you will be very happy with your representation.