In Alabama, a crime of violence can result in felony charges. The crime could be a Class A or B felony that causes serious physical injuries to another party. Interestingly, even distributing or manufacturing a controlled substance could be considered a violent crime, if another party dies.
Violent crimes may also be described (and charged) as:
- Murder
- Manslaughter
- Mayhem
- Assault with the intention to rob
- Assault with the intent to murder
- Assault with the intent to ravish
- Kidnapping
- Burglary
- Robbery
It’s important that you defend yourself if you’re accused of violent crimes because the penalties tend to be harsher than for nonviolent crimes. For example, a Class A felony has a minimum prison sentence of 10 years with up to 99 years in total. Class B felonies can be sentenced with up to 20 years and no fewer than two years behind bars. For Class B or C felonies that involved a deadly weapon or firearm, the charges are increased, and the prison sentence will be at least 10 years upon conviction.
As you can see from this simple breakdown of a few potential felony charges, the punishments you could face for a violent crime are quite severe. On top of that, you may be charged with additional crimes depending on the circumstances of your case, which could significantly impact the penalties you face.
As someone accused of a crime, it’s always important for you to have a strong defense. You want to protect yourself because what happened can easily lead to harsh penalties and the loss of your freedom. You and your attorney can work together to mitigate the damage from any criminal charges you may be facing.
