Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “Do I need to hire an attorney if I have been falsely accused?”
After an arrest, but before an arraignment, there is a period of legal purgatory that can be confusing and stressful for those facing criminal charges. It is during this period of time that an attorney can file a motion requesting a preliminary hearing – or a pre-trial hearing in front of a judge that requires the prosecutor to prove the existence of probable cause.
Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “Should I talk to the police?”
Police are an integral part of society; they keep the peace, catch criminals, and put their lives at risk to keep the general population safe. Since the police play such a large role in solving crimes and convicting criminals, it is not surprising that police officers are often called to testify during court proceedings. An issue arises with police testimony, however, when the officer testifying was not involved with the incident at all. Instead, that officer is offering an opinion, based off of his or her police experience, as to what happened or would have happened. This practice is controversial because someone without actual knowledge, or only investigative knowledge, of the incident is offering testimony that could sway a jury.
Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “Should I ever plead guilty to a charge?”
When facing criminal assault, battery, or any other type of charges, defendants often claim self defense. When claiming self defense, a defendant is stating that the party claiming to be the victim was actually the aggressor or initiated the conflict that resulted in the need for defense of person, family, or home. In order to prove this, evidence needs to be presented that shows the victim was the one who initiated the conflict. In State v. Bass, the North Carolina Supreme Court stipulated types of evidence that are not permissible in self defense cases to prove provocation.
Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Blog