Facing a criminal charge can be stressful. It’s even more stressful when you’re framed for an offense you didn’t commit. If you find yourself framed for a crime, here are 5 things that you can do to fight back for a good outcome in court:
1. Dig Deeper
When you’re framed for a crime, you can take steps collect evidence in your favor. You can work with your lawyer to issue subpoenas and demand public records. You can use your state’s public information laws in order to demand police and other government records. This can help you prove your alibi and help you gather evidence that others are conspiring against you.
2. Bring Witnesses to Court
It’s not enough just to allege that you’re being framed. It isn’t even enough to have people agree with you. Instead, you need to issue subpoenas in order to make the witnesses come to court. If you succeed in getting your witnesses served, they don’t have a choice but to come to court and testify under oath. This can be critical to making sure that the jury hears your side of the story.
3. Think about the Rules of Evidence
Gathering evidence is just the start of your defense. You have to know how to present the evidence in court. In some cases, you have to give the other side advance notice if you plan to admit evidence of someone’s motive. It’s important to think all of these things through before you arrive to your day in court. The rules vary from state to state.
4. Try for a Pre-Trial Conference
State attorneys aren’t supposed to prosecute cases when there’s reasonable doubt about someone’s guilt. If you have evidence that you’ve been framed, there’s a chance that the state’s attorney may dismiss your case if they take an honest look at the evidence. You should work with your attorney in order to present your case tactfully to the state attorney. Your lawyer can help you determine what to save for the jury and what to present when you plead your case to the state attorney.
5. Choose Your Jury Carefully
Making sure that the right people end up on your jury can be as important as how you present your case. You should take care to ask the jurors questions about their own experiences with law enforcement and the legal system. This can help you choose a jury that has an open mind. The right jurors are more likely to listen the evidence that you’re being framed for the crime. In most cases, you can review jury questionnaires in order to learn about the people who might be on your jury panel.
You Can Fight Back
When you’re framed for a crime, there are things that you can do to clear your name. It’s important to gather evidence. This process should begin long before your trial date. With a little bit of leg work, you can build your case and help the jury see the truth.
This article was written by Dixie Somers, a freelance writer who loves to write for business, finance, and family issues. She lives in Arizona with her husband and three beautiful daughters. You can find Dixie on Facebook.
