When facing a charge under California Penal Code 187 PC, your most reliable course of action is to engage the services of a seasoned criminal defense attorney.
It's not uncommon for the family of the accused to seek legal counsel, especially when the individual is in custody and has limited means of communication. This early action can significantly impact the case.
My primary focus is to assist the family in understanding the importance of securing the best possible attorney. This is the first and most critical step in ensuring the best outcome in a murder case.
Having done this now for over 30 years, I've noticed that many lawyers are afraid to deal with murder cases because of the potential downside for their clients.
Because their client is often facing life in prison, and sometimes lawyers don't have the stomach for that. I've done many murder cases over a 30-year career in LA and various counties.
With over 30 years of experience, I have a wealth of knowledge in fighting cases at jury trials, negotiating with prosecutors, and resolving cases. You can trust that your case is in capable hands.
Fight the Case or Negotiate a Plea Bargain?
That's probably one of the first things you want to do once you hire an attorney; your loved one and attorney wish to figure out whether it's a case that should be fought to a jury trial or the type of case should be resolved.
Sometimes, there's no choice. The prosecutors won't make an offer, or their offer is so high it's not worth taking. It's not worth going to prison for 25 years versus going to trial and getting a little more time. So, you might as well fight the case. So, we've got to see what circumstance we find ourselves in.
Also, we want to see if the case has a defense. Sometimes, there's self-defense in murder cases. Sometimes, it's what I would characterize as a who-done-it.
Questionable Evidence
In other words, they're not 100% sure who the person was that killed the victim in the case was. They think it is the client, but the evidence is questionable. Such as the following:
- Maybe there's no gun;
- Maybe there's no DNA evidence;
- Maybe there are no eyewitnesses;
- Maybe there's no video evidence.
Given the complexities of murder cases, it's crucial to have an experienced criminal defense attorney by your side. I can provide insights into why achieving a favorable result in these cases can be challenging.
Aside from the fact that somebody died, and obviously, that's the highest crime known to man and prosecutors, and judges take those cases the most seriously.
Prosecution of PC 187 Murder Cases
The second reason is that they put the best prosecutors on these cases with the most experience, and the law enforcement agencies that are investigating these cases, whether it be the LAPD, the sheriffs, or any local law enforcement agency, are usually going to put their homicide detectives on it, their top people:
- People who have experience dealing with these types of cases and
- Know how to prosecute them and help the prosecutors deal with these cases.
Technology
Another huge thing that is impacting murder cases, both for the bad and the good, depending on what your perspective is, is technology. A lot of these murder cases are being solved with technology. Whether it be the following:
- DNA evidence;
- video evidence;
- bodycam evidence;
- evidence of videos on homes on businesses;
- ping evidence.
Ping evidence is where they're using phone technology in Cellebrite to figure out where somebody's phone is or at least close to where the phone was at the time of the crime.
Perkins Informant
Another big thing that's being used in these murder cases is what they call a Perkin’s informant. The police have specific units inside jails that send in undercover police officers posing as inmates.
Sometimes, they use real inmates who are gang members who are trying to work off their case, and they pose as inmates. Still, they're trying to get information from the person, and they'll start asking the person about their crime. Unfortunately, believe it or not, some people are stupid enough to give these informants information.
It's tape-recorded, and then it's used later in the trial. Sometimes, that's the best evidence the prosecutors have in the trial, from the person's mouth, making statements that show that they were either a participant or the killer in a murder case.
Experience Matters
So, with all of this going on, you've got to have the best. You've come to the right place. I've worked for the DA's office, I've worked for a superior court judge, and I've been defending murder cases now since the early 1990s.
Pick up the phone now. Ask for a meeting with Ron Hedding. We'll talk about the case. Once I figure out where the case is, how many defendants there are, and what all the charges are – sometimes it's not just murder.
Sometimes, there are other charges in enhancements, like gun enhancement or gang enhancements, that go along with the murder charge. I'll give you an idea of what we charge. I'm not afraid to do that. Sometimes people can afford it. Sometimes they can't, but don't let that stop you. You've got to get out there and try to help your loved one if they're charged with murder. My name is Ron Hedding. I stand ready to help.
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