I've handled many California Penal Code 187 PC murder cases over a 30+ year career and successfully defended many clients. These cases are not easy to win because the best investigators and prosecutors are usually assigned to a murder case because a life was lost.
We first need to see whether your case is the type of case we can win or if it's a case where we need to negotiate. As I make this post in Los Angeles County 2023, it is tough to deal with these murder cases.
There's a perception right now that the district attorney's office is weak – and they certainly are in some areas regarding prosecution, but murder cases are not one of them.
They're adamant, and we need to look at every single angle to ensure that we make the best decisions related to your defense.
We have to assess whether it's an I.D. case. For example, someone's been killed, and they don't know who the killer is. Your client is the defendant in the case, and they think either your client killed the person or was part of an agreement, a conspiracy, or a plan to kill the person.
So, we must see the prosecutors' evidence to prove the case. If the evidence is weak and identification is a problem, we will investigate to block the identification.
Self-Defense
Another potential angle is that the person who is being accused of killing the other party was acting in self-defense, such as:
- They were attacked;
- They were shot at;
- They were threatened.
Then, we put on the evidence. We attack the prosecutor's case with the mindset that the person, your client, was defending themselves from the other party.
So, as you start to think about this, you realize that you need to, number 1, see what the evidence is against the client, and then, number two, evaluate the strength of that evidence, of course, talking to your client simultaneously.
Review of Case Evidence
People come to me all the time in these murder cases, and they're trying to figure out what to do and how to handle the case, and what I say is, look at the evidence to see how strong it is.
If it's a strong case against you, we may want to consider trying to work out a deal. If, on the other hand, the case is weak and your position is that you did not commit the crime, then obviously, we take the case to trial.
That's really how you evaluate it because they won't typically arrest somebody unless they have evidence against them. The strength of the evidence can be questionable; it just depends on the factors and circumstances surrounding the case.
So, we've got to talk about what the case is all about. Talk about your or your loved one's position as to whether or not they will accept responsibility for these murder charges.
Experienced Defense
So, if you want to win the case, you've got to put the time and effort in. You've got to have experience. I remember I had a case in Norwalk in the 1990s where the prosecutors believed they just had it locked up, and there was no chance they would lose it.
They basically would not make my client an offer to settle the case. The case went to trial, and ultimately, the jury found my client not guilty.
Sometimes, the prosecutors think they have everything. They believe their case is so airtight that they become almost indignant. Often, they don't realize that sometimes, some cases can go up like a house of cards in a windstorm.
After their witnesses begin to get attached – their credibility becomes to get impeached, and other evidence comes to light that they didn't think about. Suddenly, they've got a big problem, and that's what we're talking about when winning these cases.
We have to look at – do we have the ammunition to properly attack their case to have a chance to win it, and that's what we're going to talk about when we meet.
If you need the best, ask for a meeting with Ron Hedding. I've been doing this for over 30 years. I started working for the prosecutors, then a superior court judge, and then in the early 1990s for people like you.
Pick up the phone now. Ask for a meeting with Ron Hedding. I stand at the ready to help you. The Hedding Law Firm offers a free case evaluation.
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