Criminal defense is not about loopholes, it is about liberty.
Staring down the full power of the State of Mississippi can be daunting.
Being accused of a felony crime can have a permanent impact on your life and reputation. A felony crime is defined as any criminal offense that can lead to a sentence of one year or more in prison if the accused is convicted. Many times, innocent people agree to make statements to law enforcement agencies in an honest attempt to clear their names.
In over a decade of practicing law, my observation is that less than 5% of people accused of crimes make their legal defense stronger by talking to the police without the knowledge and assistance from an experienced criminal defense attorney.
Modern day police investigations and criminal court proceedings are nothing like the ones we see on television — there are not teams of police officers thoroughly investigating every potential suspect or lead. The felony prosecutors are not taking active roles in criminal investigations. Typically, an arrest is made, a police investigative file is completed, and that file is delivered to the felony prosecutor’s desk where it sits in a pile for months or years until the case is presented to a grand jury.
Some common felonies in Mississippi include possession, sale, or trafficking of drugs; residential burglary; grand larceny; aggravated assault; sex crimes; crimes against children; and murder.
If you are accused of a felony crime, your first call should be to an experienced attorney who can protect your rights and guide you through the challenging felony criminal process. You need to talk to your attorney before you make any statements or participate in any interviews with detectives or investigating agencies.
There are also some crimes that teenagers can be accused of that lead them to be automatically treated as adults in the felony criminal justice system. If your teenager is in this situation, it is crucial to hire a criminal defense attorney who is experienced in representing juveniles charged as adults.
Have you or your teenager been arrested for a felony criminal offense? Call us today to schedule a consultation with Attorney Lindsay Arevalo. Our phone number is 601-336-0229.
*Currently serving Forrest, Lamar, Perry, Marion, Pearl River, and Jones counties in Mississippi