3 Ways To Prove You Are Innocent In A Criminal Court
Being arrested can be very stressful. You might worry about your future, your family, and your reputation. Luckily, if you get a good lawyer to represent you in court, you can present your side of the story in an eloquent way. This will help you to prove your innocence. Here are a couple ways that your lawyer will try to prove your innocence.
1. Have An Alibi
One of the most common ways to prove innocence is with an alibi. One of the first things that the lawyer will ask you is where you were during the crime. If you can prove that you were somewhere else then all charges could be dropped against you, even without a trial.
Some ways that you can actually prove that you were not near the crime is with eyewitnesses. If you were somewhere with a lot of people, you can have them sign an affidavit stating that you were with them. It should be mentioned that having someone like a spouse or a close friend testify for you is not as strong. They judge or jury might think that they are protecting you so they are giving a false statement. This is why it is better if you can have someone be a witness who has no vested interest in your case.
2. Lack Of Evidence
In the United States the court systems embrace the idea that you are innocent until you are proven guilty. This can work to your defense in many cases. The prosecution has the burden of proof. This means that they must make a compelling enough case to bring the charges against you. It is not enough to simply have a motive or say that you were in the right place at the right time. They have to prove through evidence that you committed the crime. If they cannot do that, you won't be charged.
3. Reasonable Doubt Through Another Suspect
In order to convict someone of a crime the judge or the jury must be beyond reasonable doubt. That means that they have to be confident that you committed the crime. One defense that you can use is to have another person who is a suspect in the case, who has just as much motive and evidence, who might have committed the crime. If the jury or judge cannot confidently say that it was you because there is someone else who is questionable, you might not be convicted.
These are just 3 ways that you can defend yourself in a criminal case. (For information on attorneys, contact McKone & Unruh)