Why Do You Stand Accused As An Accomplice To A Crime? And What You Should Do About It
Many people find themselves facing accomplice charges. You may also hear it called aiding and abetting. For many people, such charges can come as a complete surprise, especially if they feel they had nothing to do with the actual crime committed.
What Is Complicity?
You're complicit in a crime if you help someone, or a group, in committing a crime. This makes you an accomplice. In many jurisdictions, acting as an accomplice can come along with the same punishments as if you committed the crime. This is why accusations of complicity are especially of concern.
How You Can Become an Accomplice
Complicity includes any action that aides, counsels, commands, or encourages someone else to commit a crime. That creates a very broad spectrum of possible actions you can end up facing a charge for.
There's also a lot of room for interpretation in defining complicity in a criminal case. For example, what if you jokingly tell someone they should commit a crime, then they actually do it? You didn't intend the actual crime, but you can still face serious aiding and abetting charges.
Defenses for Complicity
The good news is there's several defenses for alleged complicity. Your defense will depend on your specific situation, but here are some of the more common ones.
Bystander – Proving you did not assist in any way, but were only present, can have the complicity charge dropped.
Duress – Proving you were forced or pressured into complicity can serve as a key defense.
Lowering the charge – It's possible to lower the charge to accessory, which doesn't carry as many penalties.
In a best-case scenario, withdrawal represents the best option. Withdrawal implies that you attempted to back out of the criminal activity. You must show that you left intent behind and communicated your non-compliance to others.
There's also a possibility the main case can become reduced or dropped. For example, if the main culprit proves he or she committed no crime, then there was nothing for you to be complicit in. However, that particular defense is outside of your control.
Other defenses may present themselves depending on your circumstances. No matter what, you shouldn't pursue a defense to aiding and abetting on your own.
Criminal lawyers exist to help people craft defenses that help to remove or lower these types of charges. At the very least, you should consult with a criminal lawyer, like the ones at WORKMAN LAW FIRM, to see what he or she says about your chances if you're facing these or any other criminal charges.