Regardless of whether you have been formally charged with a crime or not, please continue reading, then contact one of our experienced Nassau County criminal defense attorneys to learn what you should do now that you have been accused of a crime in New York.
What should you do after you are accused of a crime in New York?
You should take the following steps to protect yourself if you have been accused of a crime in the Empire State:
- Realize the seriousness of the accusations: You can help prepare yourself for the possibility of an unfavorable outcome when you understand the severity of the crime and its potential penalties. This realization will help you make wiser decisions and act in ways to increase the likelihood of being found not guilty.
- Understand the price of a good defense: Attorney fees, investigation costs and expert witness fees can be expensive, but you will need to account for them if you want to avoid years, decades or even the remainder of your life in prison.
- Take no action: By not taking action, you force the prosecutor to develop the necessary evidence on his or her own. Without you making incriminating statements or acting suspiciously, the prosecution’s case may fall apart when witnesses recant their statements and test results come back in your favor.
- Gather any physical evidence and documents: Any evidence that supports your defense should be immediately turned over to your attorney, including clothing, photographs, correspondence, emails, receipts, GPS data and more.
- Obtain witness contact information: Provide the contact information of any witnesses who might strengthen your defense to your attorney.
- Let your defense attorney investigate: In order to assess the strengths and weaknesses of your case and that of the prosecution, your attorney will need to conduct his or her own investigation.
- Negotiate a plea bargain: Post-investigation, your attorney may advise you to plead guilty to lesser charges to avoid being convicted, given a harsher sentence and/or receiving a permanent criminal record.
With that in mind, you should not do the following:
- Destroy evidence that you think could hurt you
- Talk to or have any contact with the victim or witnesses
- Talk to the police, prosecutor or criminal investigator without your attorney
- Consent to DNA or other testing unless your attorney advises it.
Please give us a call today, so we can help you avoid these costly mistakes.
Contact Our Long Island Firm
Criminal matters can change the course of your life forever. This is why you need an experienced attorney who will aggressively combat your charges to help mitigate their long-term effects. If you are in need of experienced legal counsel for a criminal defense matter on Long Island or throughout New York State, please contact Grunwald & Seman, P.C. to schedule a consultation. We would be happy to assist you.
