Chicago Robbery Lawyer

Contact Us Today
 For A Free Consultation

If you face robbery accusations, the consequences of a criminal conviction can be life-changing. They can include significant prison time and hefty fines. Thankfully, you have the right to rely on a dedicated defense attorney after a robbery arrest.

You deserve help from a legal team with experience in handling complicated offenses. Instead of accepting a plea or representing yourself in court, hire a skilled Chicago robbery lawyer from Price Benowitz.

Robbery Crimes

There are different types of robbery charges in Chicago, and an attorney could defend their client against all of them. The offense that prosecutors most commonly charge is simple robbery. It involves taking someone else’s property without their permission through the use or threat of force.

A more serious version of this crime is aggravated robbery. The state must demonstrate that the defendant met the basic definition of the offense and any additional elements. For example, the accused person must have targeted a victim age 60 or older or indicated that they were armed at the time of the offense.

Armed robbery is the most serious of these charges. A person is guilty of this crime when they commit a simple robbery while armed with a dangerous weapon or firearm.

What Are the Defenses to Robbery Allegations?

Hiring a Chicago robbery attorney is beneficial in many ways. A lawyer’s support—such as serving as an advocate and answering their client’s questions—could greatly improve a defendant’s chances of a positive outcome. One of the attorney’s most important jobs is identifying an appropriate defense strategy for their client’s case. The paragraphs below describe some common options.

Innocence

An obvious choice is simply making the case that the accused person did not commit a crime. This might involve arguing that they are a victim of mistaken identity who law enforcement wrongly arrested. The downside of this approach is that the attorney will need to make a strong case with an alternative theory. This could include providing an alibi for the defendant or identifying another suspect.

Constitutional Violations

Police have a limited ability to search an accused person’s home or seize evidence from their vehicle. If the police build a case on illegally obtained evidence, the defense attorney may be able to have it excluded from the trial. For example, the state could be barred from telling a jury that the police officers found the allegedly stolen property in the defendant’s home if they discovered it during an illegal search.

Intent

Robbery is a crime of intent. The accused person’s actions had to come with the intention of depriving someone else of their property. The defendant could avoid a conviction by establishing that they had no intention of robbing anyone.

Coercion

While this approach is not the most commonly used option, it is possible to argue that the defendant committed a robbery solely because of coercion or duress. If someone else coerced the accused person into breaking the law, and they feared injury if they refused, they did not have the necessary intent to be guilty of robbery.

Call a Chicago Attorney After Your Robbery Arrest

Few crimes you can be charged with are more serious than robbery. A conviction could result in a lengthy prison sentence and heavy monetary fines.

While a robbery arrest can feel overwhelming, it is important to remember that you have an opportunity to fight the charges with the support of strong legal counsel. Call a Chicago robbery lawyer at Price Benowitz today to schedule a free case evaluation.