Conspiracy

Conspiracy can be a difficult criminal charge to contest because it deals with criminal partnerships, as an alternative to actually committing a crime. Prosecutors use conspiracy charges to cast their net very wide and catch as many alleged wrongdoers as possible for a single crime.

While fighting conspiracy allegations is not always easy, an Alabama conspiracy lawyer could provide experienced and personalized assistance. Contacting a well-practiced attorney for legal representation may be in your best interests if you are facing or believe you may soon face such charges.

In a sense, conspiracy is not technically a criminal act itself. It is an agreement to commit a crime with someone else. While many crimes have a number of different components that may determine guilt, conspiracy is a criminal charge that anyone can face no matter the importance of the part they allegedly played in the underlying offense.

If someone instructs another person on how to commit a specific crime, it does not matter if the instructor was physically present during the commission of the offense. Once the instructor gives the information that the other person requires to commit the offense, the instructor could be charged with conspiracy since there was an agreement to commit a crime and an act to affect that agreement.

This is just one example of how conspiracy allegations work, which highlights how little someone might have to do to be accused of conspiracy. A conspiracy attorney in Alabama may be able to help defend against such allegations.

In certain cases, a defendant’s argument that they abandoned the conspiracy before it was completed may be a strong defense. It should be noted that abandonment of a conspiracy is typically a difficult defense to make in Alabama without an attorney’s assistance, as it requires a voluntary and complete renunciation of the criminal venture. It also necessitates either a meaningful warning to the police about the upcoming crime or a substantial effort to thwart the criminal conduct in question.

While a conspiracy is a charge that defendants can face in addition to another underlying criminal offense, that does not mean that the penalties for a conspiracy conviction alone are light. The penalties on the table for a charge of conspiracy depend on the nature of the underlying crime.

More specifically, conspiracy penalties are one criminal level below the classification of the underlying offense. For example, if the underlying crime that was allegedly committed was a Class A felony, then conspiracy to commit that offense would be a Class B felony.

The only exception to this rule is when the underlying offense was murder. In these cases, conspiracy to commit murder is a Class A felony, punishable by between 10 and 99 years in jail and a fine of up to $60,000. Given the harsh nature of penalties a person may face for conspiracy offenses, individuals are advised to speak with a hard-working defense attorney immediately.

If you were accused of conspiring to commit a crime, you may need effective legal representation to protect your rights and future. Should you choose to retain one, an Alabama conspiracy lawyer could work with you to preserve your rights and pursue a positive outcome to your case. Call today to set up an initial consultation and get started on your case.