Options for Criminal Defense

If you have been accused of a crime in the Tampa area, you might wonder what types of defense you could use. The answer depends on many factors, including the crime that you are accused of, the circumstances surrounding the crime, and the evidence, among others. Below are a few of the potential defenses accessible to a defendant.

Pleading Innocent

Defendants may choose to plead innocent. They might back up this plea with evidence, such as witnesses who could provide an alibi demonstrating that the defendant was somewhere else at the time the crime took place. Other types of evidence, such as forensic evidence, might point to someone else being responsible for the crime instead of the defendant.

Other Explanations

In some cases, defendants might admit that they committed an act but argue that they acted in self-defense. In other cases, they might argue entrapment if it appears that law enforcement has caused them to do something they otherwise might not. For example, a defendant persuaded to buy drugs by an undercover police officer might claim entrapment.

Lesser Charges

Even a defendant who does not claim to be entirely innocent may have options. For example, a defendant charged with first-degree murder might explain as part of the defense that he or she did not intend to harm the person who died.

Plea Bargain

Another possibility is pleading guilty without going to trial. In a plea bargain, a defendant usually pleads guilty to lesser charges and receives a lighter sentence.