• Home
  • About
  • Advertising
  • Digital Archives
  • Contact
    • Letter to Editor
  • Find us
Monday, March 1, 2021
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
La Mesa Courier
  • A&E
    • Art
    • Books
    • Music
    • Theater
  • News & Features
    • News
      • La Mesa News Briefs
    • Features
    • Politics
      • Elected Official Reports
        • Dianne Jacob
        • Summer Stephan
  • Food & Drink
    • Bars & Happy Hours
    • Recipes
      • What’s cooking with Julie
    • Restaurant Reviews
  • Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Letters to the editor
  • Lifestyle
    • Fashion
    • Gen-X in a Millennial World
    • Health & Fitness
    • Home & Garden
    • Pets
    • Travel
  • Business
    • Finance
    • Real Estate
    • Expert Advice
    • Sponsored links
  • Community
    • Community Updates
      • La Mesa Foothills Democratic Club
      • Navajo Canyon Republican Women
    • Best Of La Mesa
  • Education
    • Grossmont High School
    • Helix Charter High School
  • Calendar
  • Experts
La Mesa Courier
  • A&E
    • Art
    • Books
    • Music
    • Theater
  • News & Features
    • News
      • La Mesa News Briefs
    • Features
    • Politics
      • Elected Official Reports
        • Dianne Jacob
        • Summer Stephan
  • Food & Drink
    • Bars & Happy Hours
    • Recipes
      • What’s cooking with Julie
    • Restaurant Reviews
  • Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Letters to the editor
  • Lifestyle
    • Fashion
    • Gen-X in a Millennial World
    • Health & Fitness
    • Home & Garden
    • Pets
    • Travel
  • Business
    • Finance
    • Real Estate
    • Expert Advice
    • Sponsored links
  • Community
    • Community Updates
      • La Mesa Foothills Democratic Club
      • Navajo Canyon Republican Women
    • Best Of La Mesa
  • Education
    • Grossmont High School
    • Helix Charter High School
  • Calendar
  • Experts
No Result
View All Result
La Mesa Courier
No Result
View All Result

Can being present at the scene of a crime make you guilty?

September 23, 2015
in Expert Advice
0
Expert Advice

Stephen G. Cline | San Diego Criminal Defense Attorney | The Law Offices of Stephen G. Cline

0
SHARES
772
VIEWS

By Stephen G. Cline | The Law Offices of Stephen G. Cline

While generally it is a bad idea to be present at the scene of a crime; the “right” answer to this question depends upon the specific facts present in your situation. Simply being present does not automatically infer guilt. However, the more you are involved or knew about the commission of the crime, the more likely it is you face some criminal responsibility.

Stephen G. Cline | San Diego Criminal Defense Attorney | The Law Offices of Stephen G. Cline
Stephen G. Cline | San Diego Criminal Defense Attorney | The Law Offices of Stephen G. Cline

To be “guilty” of a crime, the prosecution must show “beyond a reasonable doubt” that you committed the acts required for that criminal offense. You can be prosecuted for actually committing the specific crime charged. For example, you specifically fired the gun and wounded or killed someone.

You can also be prosecuted for that offense even though you did not personally commit the actual crime. If you simply assisted in some way, no matter how small, the actual perpetrator of the crime, you can be prosecuted under a theory that you “aided and/or abetted” in the commission of that crime.   For example, if you assisted someone or drove someone to a place where he/she fired a gun and wounded or killed someone.

The prosecution can also prosecute you for the crime under a theory that you and others agreed to take steps required to commit the crime. If such an agreement was present and you took some step to further that agreement, no matter how small, you can be convicted of the actual crime as a co-conspirator. For example, if you and others agreed on a plan to shoot that person and you specifically went and got the bullets for the gun even though you were not present for the shooting.

With these three methods of prosecution in mind, criminal liability for your presence at a crime scene would depend on several factors. Were you present for the actual crime or just come upon the scene later? When you were at the scene, did you participate in the crime itself? If not, did you know what was going to happen and/or assist the actual perpetrator in any way? In the end, being present at the scene is never a good idea. But presence, without far more, does not automatically infer guilt.

Stephen Cline offers case evaluations at no cost and with no obligation. Call (619) 235-5638 today or visit us online at sandiegotrialattorney.com if you’ve been charged with a crime.

Stephen G. Cline is a San Diego criminal defense lawyer with more than 20 years of experience defending criminal cases. He started his career as a deputy public defender before moving into private practice and opening The Law Offices of Stephen G. Cline in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter. He handles all criminal matters in local and federal courts, from petty theft to arson.

Next Post
Effective consultations

Effective consultations

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Like us on Facebook:

Unable to display Facebook posts.
Show error

Error: Error validating access token: The session has been invalidated because the user changed their password or Facebook has changed the session for security reasons.
Type: OAuthException
Code: 190
Subcode: 460
Please refer to our Error Message Reference.

La Mesa Courier

© 2019 SDCNN. La Mesa Courier. San Diego Community News Network (SDCNN).

Navigate our site

  • Home
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact

Follow us on social media

No Result
View All Result
  • A&E
    • Art
    • Books
    • Music
    • Theater
  • News & Features
    • News
      • La Mesa News Briefs
    • Features
    • Politics
      • Elected Official Reports
  • Food & Drink
    • Bars & Happy Hours
    • Recipes
      • What’s cooking with Julie
    • Restaurant Reviews
  • Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Letters to the editor
  • Lifestyle
    • Fashion
    • Gen-X in a Millennial World
    • Health & Fitness
    • Home & Garden
    • Pets
    • Travel
  • Business
    • Finance
    • Real Estate
    • Expert Advice
    • Sponsored links
  • Community
    • Community Updates
      • La Mesa Foothills Democratic Club
      • Navajo Canyon Republican Women
  • Education
    • Grossmont High School
    • Helix Charter High School
  • Best Of La Mesa
  • About
  • Contact
  • Archives
  • Advertising
  • Calendar
  • Experts

© 2019 SDCNN. La Mesa Courier. San Diego Community News Network (SDCNN).

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In