Being convicted or even just arrested for a violent crime can have lasting effects on your life and freedom. A conviction for a violent offense could cause a person to lose their right to vote or own a firearm. A felony conviction could stay on your permanent record for ever. It is important that you have an experienced attorney to make sure that doesn’t happen. The MacNeil Firm makes every effort to provide a defense strategy that will protect your future.
These are offenses which involve a violent act against a person, or put someone in the position to be subjected to violence. Many times, victims of violent crimes have been hurt, but injury is not an element of the offense in all circumstances. Some examples of cases that the MacNeil Firm has successfully defended include, but are not limited to:
- Aggravated Battery
- Battery
- Aggravated Assault
- Assault
- Domestic Battery/Domestic Violence
- Aggravated Vehicular Hijacking
- Murder
- Attempted Murder
- Armed Robbery
- Robbery
- Home Invasion
- Aggravated Kidnapping
- Kidnapping
In any type of violent crime the use of a weapon is always going to be an aggravating factor. Sometimes the alleged use of a gun or other weapon could move it from a misdemeanor to a felony. For example, if you committed a battery with a weapon, that might move you up from a misdemeanor battery to a felony aggravated battery.
Also, the injury of an individual during the commission of an offense could lead to sentencing enhancements. If you committed an armed robbery with a firearm, that could enhance the sentence by 15, 20, or 25 years. With the negotiation skills of our criminal defense attorney in Illinois, this sentence can be modified to work in your favor.
Penalties for Violent Crime
Most violent crimes are felonies with the exception of battery, assault, or domestic battery. Because they are committed against real people, judges consider these types of cases to be very serious. If someone was hurt, judges take those even more seriously. Having an experienced criminal defense attorney in Illinois representing you would have a positive effect on your case.
In Illinois, violent crime requires a mandatory prison sentence upon conviction with no chance for probation. Also, if a firearm is used in the commission of some crimes, it adds an additional 15 years in prison to the sentence. In other words, the minimum sentence upon conviction for several violent offenses committed with a firearm is 21 years in prison which can be reduced to a much lesser sentence by hiring our violent crime attorney in Illinois.
Having a Strong Legal Advocate on Your Side is Important. Contact Us Today.
While this is troubling information for persons charged with violent crimes and their friends and family, there is still hope. The MacNeil Firm has extensive experience and success in representing people accused of violent crimes. Our criminal defense attorneys at the MacNeil Firm have many proven strategies and techniques to use in your defense, and eliminate or minimize the effects on your life. Call our Criminal Defense attorney in Illinois to discuss your case.
We serve our clients in Illinois and Indiana. Our attorneys are active in Kankakee, Lake, Grundy, Porter, Cook, and Will counties. Our experienced team of family lawyers can protect your legal rights and possibly even have the charges against you drastically reduced or completely dismissed. Having a strong legal advocate from The MacNeil Firm on your side can mean putting the case behind you sooner.