When someone is charged with a crime there are several ways in which the case may be resolved. While some cases are settled, others go to trial where they may be decided by a jury. The way in which a case will be determined varies depending on a variety of circumstances including choices made by the accused, usually with the assistance of a criminal defense lawyer.
Recently a case against an El Paso man was sent to the jury. The19-year-old man is on trial for murder, aggravated assault and criminal negligent homicide. The charges arose after the man was arrested for intentionally driving his car into a crowd of people. This resulted in the death of a woman.
At trial the man’s attorney did not deny that his client drove into the crowd. Instead he asserted that the tragic incident occurred after the young man got drunk at a party hosted by another man. According to the attorney of the man on trial, the host of the party should be held responsible for the woman’s death since the accused man consumed alcohol at his house despite not being of legal age.
The lawyer of the accused further asserts that the only charge he might be guilty of is criminal negligent homicide. He also sought a directed verdict on the basis that the prosecution failed to prove that his client knowingly or intentionally committed a crime. The motion was not successful.
The aggressive actions on the part of the defendant’s attorney are a good examples of why it is a good idea to hire such an individual. The sooner someone accused of a crime does so, the better.
Source: KFOX-TV, “Fate of El Paso man accused of driving into, killing woman in jurors’ hands,” Melissa Gundersen, April 9, 2014