In our previous blog post, we discussed criminal defense strategies if a defendant claims he or she is innocent. In this blog post, we are going to explain what criminal defendants can do if they admit guilt, including ways that a criminal defense attorney can attempt to have their charges reduced.
Common Defenses Against Criminal Charges
Generally, the four most common defense strategies for criminal defendants who admit guilt are the following:
- Entrapment – This involves the defendant claiming that the reason he or she committed the crime was because law enforcement provided an opportunity for him or her to commit a crime he or she otherwise would not have committed. Entrapment is very hard to prove because there are legal ways that law enforcement can set up opportunities for people to commit crimes to catch them in the act, such as using bait cars to capture car thieves.
- Under the Influence – When defendants claim this defense, it involves them arguing that they were under the influence of drugs or alcohol and therefore, their judgment was clouded, leading them to commit a crime they otherwise would not have committed.
- Self-Defense – This involves a defendant who is accused of committing a violent act, such as assault, battery or murder, claiming they only did it in response to another person threatening them with violence or violently attacking them first.
- Insanity – This defense involves defendants claiming that due to a mental dysfunction they cannot control their behavior or understand that what they did was wrong.
At Hammerschmidt our California criminal defense lawyers have successfully taken more than 350 cases to trial in both state and federal court. We can help you if you are facing criminal charges. Contact us now to schedule a free case evaluation.
