Getting tagged with a domestic violence charge in Las Vegas is a complicated thing. After all, domestic abuse stories involve a lot of emotion and drama, and that can often dictate the outcome of a trial. When tempers flare, those who let their anger get the best of them will lose their case no matter how good their legal team is.
Defending against any form of criminal charge requires a calm mind and a careful study of your situation. Your defense will lose its credibility if it falls back upon stereotypical lines that the prosecution can crack easily and effectively. If you are facing a domestic violence charge in Las Vegas, you should remember how to properly defend yourself with some of these suggestions.
Avoid the Emotional Appeal
One of the common tactics used to deflect a domestic violence charge is to show that it is not in the defendant’s nature to abuse their partner. They will try to show that they are a nice guy, and if they do commit violence, it is only because the other party has gone too far. Conversely, there are instances where the defendant would focus on denigrating the personality of the alleged victim in an attempt to weaken their case. They will attempt to paint the alleged victim as some sort of manipulator or consummate liar and that the defendant is only being framed.
These kinds of defense claims rely too much on emotional appeal and can easily be cracked by a well-versed prosecution team. If you are going to trial for a domestic violence charge for the first time, avoid focusing on personality issues and look at the bigger picture. You must always focus on facts first and foremost; if you still insist on calling the alleged victim duplicative, you must have solid evidence to back it up.
Gather a Pool of Reliable Evidence
As in any other criminal trial, the evidence is the lynchpin on which your entire defense is leaning on. If you can’t prove that there was no intent to abuse the alleged victim, or that the act was done only in self-defense, your chances of winning a dismissal or not-guilty verdict are slim. As stated earlier, avoid dealing directly with the alleged victim and direct your efforts on obtaining compelling evidence for your case, which may include:
Testimony from other people in the vicinity of the alleged crime scene
Materials and footage pertaining to the alleged crime
Expert testimony from independent parties, like doctors, psychologists, and possibly investigators
Medical and psychological history records (where applicable)
So long as you have the appropriate evidence, you can establish a strong case that will be hard for the prosecution to assail.
Always Communicate with Your Attorney
Unless you’ve chosen to stand for yourself in trial, your defense attorney is your primary mouthpiece to help you get your side of the case to the court and the jury. He represents your best interests in the trial, and thus will work tirelessly to ensure that you get a dismissal or at least a reduced sentence. However, he cannot do the job alone; unless you provide input where needed, he can establish a strong case for you at all.
The primary rule when facing a criminal charge is to always talk with your lawyer. Besides knowing the ins and outs of the Las Vegas criminal system, they can also establish a strong defense for you once they’ve pieced together all the available information you can provide to him. Never forget to be thorough, detailed, and comprehensive when retelling your side of the case to your attorney; not only will they need it to build your case, they might be able to find pieces in your testimony that you yourself might have missed.
Defending against domestic violence charges can be a chore, but with an objective mindset, a strong case, and a reliable Las Vegas defense attorney, you are assured that your trial will go smoothly. Never forget these tenets, and you are sure to pull through.