Have you been accused of a violent crime in Los Angeles, California? Call Perlman & Cohen Los Angeles Criminal Lawyers at (310) 557-1700 for a free consultation with a Los Angeles violent crimes lawyer. Our attorneys defend clients against serious misdemeanor and felony charges and can begin preparing your defense.
Violent crime allegations can lead to jail or prison, fines, probation, firearm restrictions, and a criminal record. These cases may involve conflicting witness accounts, surveillance footage, medical evidence, weapons, or claims of self-defense, making early preparation especially important.
Why Choose Perlman & Cohen Los Angeles Criminal Lawyers to Help Me If I’ve Been Accused of a Violent Crime in Los Angeles, CA?
Violent crime cases in Los Angeles, CA, can involve serious charges and substantial penalties. Perlman & Cohen Los Angeles Criminal Lawyers represents clients facing allegations ranging from assault and battery to robbery, homicide, and other violent offenses.
When you hire our Los Angeles criminal defense lawyers, you’ll benefit from:
- 100+ years of combined criminal defense experience
- Representation from attorneys who handle serious misdemeanor and felony charges
- Experience defending clients accused of violent crimes
- Personalized attention throughout the case
- Defense strategies tailored to the facts and evidence
- Preparation for negotiations, hearings, and trial when necessary
Contact the firm today to schedule a free consultation with a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney.
Common Types of Violent Crimes in California
California’s violent crime laws cover offenses involving physical force, threats, restraint, serious injury, or the use of a weapon. Some offenses may be charged as misdemeanors, while others are felonies that can carry lengthy prison sentences and other long-term consequences.
Violent crime charges in Los Angeles can include the following categories.
Assaultive Offenses
Assault and battery are separate crimes under California law. Assault generally involves an unlawful attempt, coupled with the present ability, to commit a violent injury against another person. Battery involves the willful and unlawful use of force or violence against someone else.
More serious charges may arise when the alleged conduct involves a deadly weapon, force likely to cause great bodily injury, or significant injuries. California law also imposes different penalties for certain assaults depending on the alleged victim and circumstances.
Threats, Restraint, and Force
Some violent crime charges do not require an actual physical injury. Criminal threats can arise when a person is accused of threatening death or great bodily injury under circumstances that place another person in sustained fear.
Kidnapping generally involves unlawfully moving another person through force or fear. Mayhem involves unlawfully and maliciously causing certain severe or permanent injuries, such as disabling or disfiguring part of another person’s body.
Violent Theft Offenses
Robbery is a theft offense that also involves force or fear. California law defines robbery as taking personal property from another person or their immediate presence, against their will, by means of force or fear.
That use of force or intimidation separates robbery from ordinary theft. California recognizes first- and second-degree robbery, with the degree tied to the circumstances of the alleged offense.
Homicide Offenses
Murder and manslaughter are among the most serious violent crimes prosecuted in California. Murder is the unlawful killing of another person with malice aforethought and may be charged as first- or second-degree murder.
Manslaughter involves an unlawful killing without malice. California recognizes voluntary, involuntary, and vehicular manslaughter, each with different elements and potential penalties.
Sex and Weapons-Related Violent Offenses
Certain sex offenses are also classified as violent felonies under California law, particularly offenses involving force, violence, duress, menace, or fear. These charges can carry substantial prison sentences and other consequences, including possible sex offender registration.
Weapons can also increase the seriousness of an alleged violent crime. Charges involving firearms or other deadly weapons may lead to separate offenses or additional punishment when the weapon is allegedly used during an assault, robbery, or another felony.
What Are the Penalties for Violent Crimes in Los Angeles, California?
Violent crime penalties in California can be severe, especially when the charge is a felony or involves serious injury, a weapon, or prior convictions.
Possible penalties include:
- County jail or state prison
- Significant fines
- Probation
- Restitution
- Protective or restraining orders
- Loss or restriction of firearm rights
- Sentencing enhancements in some cases
- A strike under California’s Three Strikes Law for qualifying offenses
Some violent felony convictions can also increase the sentence for future felony offenses. A conviction may also affect employment, housing, professional licenses, and immigration status.
What Collateral Consequences Can Result From a Violent Crime Conviction?
A violent crime conviction can affect much more than the sentence imposed by the court. Even after a jail or prison term ends, a felony record can create long-term problems in several areas of life.
Possible collateral consequences include:
- Loss or restriction of firearm rights
- Difficulty finding or keeping employment
- Problems obtaining certain professional licenses
- Housing difficulties
- Immigration consequences for noncitizens
- Limits on educational or career opportunities
- Damage to personal and professional reputation
- Harsher penalties for future felony convictions when the offense counts as a strike
For some people, these consequences can continue for years after the criminal case is over and may affect work, family, finances, and future opportunities.
What Defenses Can Be Raised If I’m Accused of a Violent Crime?
The defense in a violent crime case often centers on what happened before and during the alleged incident, who initiated the confrontation, and whether the prosecution can prove the required intent.
Possible defenses include:
- Self-defense
- Defense of others
- Lack of intent
- Mistaken identity
- False accusations
- Accident
- Insufficient evidence
- Unlawfully obtained evidence
Witness statements, surveillance footage, medical records, and other physical evidence can also play a major role in challenging the prosecution’s version of events.
What Should I Do After Being Arrested for a Violent Crime in Los Angeles?
What you do after an arrest can affect the evidence available in your case and how the defense develops. Taking a few careful steps early on can help avoid creating additional problems.
You should:
- Avoid discussing the allegations with police without an attorney present
- Do not post about the incident on social media
- Preserve text messages, photos, videos, or other records related to what happened
- Write down what you remember about the incident and arrest while the details are still fresh
- Identify witnesses who may have seen or heard relevant events
- Follow all bail, release, protective-order, and court conditions
- Attend every required court appearance
- Contact a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible
Violent crime cases can involve rapidly changing evidence, including surveillance footage, witness memories, and electronic records. Early action can give your defense team more time to preserve that material and investigate the circumstances surrounding the accusation.
How a Criminal Defense Attorney Can Help If You’ve Been Accused of a Violent Crime
Perlman & Cohen Los Angeles Criminal Lawyers can examine the circumstances surrounding the accusation and prepare a defense based on the charges and evidence involved.
A criminal defense attorney can:
- Review police reports and witness statements
- Examine surveillance footage and physical evidence
- Investigate claims of self-defense or defense of others
- Challenge unreliable identification evidence
- Identify inconsistencies in witness accounts
- Challenge unlawfully obtained evidence
- File appropriate pretrial motions
- Negotiate with prosecutors
- Prepare the case for trial when necessary
Violent crime cases often move quickly and involve serious consequences. Early investigation can help preserve evidence and give the defense more time to prepare.
Schedule a Free Case Evaluation With Our Violent Crimes Defense Lawyers
If you’ve been accused of a violent crime in Los Angeles, California, Perlman & Cohen Los Angeles Criminal Lawyers can represent you against serious misdemeanor or felony charges. Our attorneys bring over 100 years of combined criminal defense experience to cases involving assault, battery, robbery, homicide, and other violent offenses.
A charge does not establish guilt. Prosecutors still have to prove every element of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt, and the evidence against you may be challenged. Contact us today to schedule a free case evaluation with a Los Angeles violent crimes defense attorney.
