Before a person can face charges for a violent crime, a victim must be injured or killed. Unfortunately, this is not necessarily so. In some cases, people face felony charges even if they never completed the crime.
“Criminal attempt” is a legal term with which most Minneapolis, MN, residents are not familiar. Such charges can arise in all kinds of situations like attempted murder or attempted assault. It is a mistake to assume that you will emerge from a conviction for criminal attempt or similarly worded charges with a lenient sentence.
HOW IS CRIMINAL ATTEMPT DEFINED?
We want to explain an important distinction. Merely thinking about engaging in violent crimes like murder is not enough to warrant a conviction. You must have taken some steps to commit the offense as well. For example, if you think to yourself or even state out loud that you want to kill someone, you likely will not be arrested.
On the other hand, if you plan a murder and take steps to commit this offense, you will likely face significant legal trouble. Below are three examples of actions that could indicate you intended to commit a violent felony.
- Acquiring weapons or other items for use in the commission of a crime.
- Traveling to the intended victim’s home or place of work to commit the crime.
- Making an escape plan for use after the crime is committed.
Do not underestimate a state prosecutor’s determination to acquire a conviction even though no victims suffered harm. It is much better to prepare for the possibility of a bad outcome in your case as early as possible. Taking this approach gives you plenty of time to find a defense lawyer. Together you can find a way to show the court why you do not deserve a harsh sentence.
We urge you to continue learning more about violent felony charges in Minnesota by reviewing more of our website content.