Fort Lauderdale Robbery Guide
Why Choose Rossen Law Firm’s Fort Lauderdale Robbery Lawyers?
The stakes are incredibly high when facing robbery charges. It’s essential to have an experienced legal team on your side to help you fight back, and Rossen Law Firm offers just that.
Expertise and Success
Our team of seasoned criminal defense attorneys in Fort Lauderdale understands the intricacies of robbery cases. Led by founder Adam Rossen, a former Florida prosecutor, our firm has the expertise to navigate complex legal challenges. We’ve successfully defended clients against various charges, from armed robbery to less severe theft-related offenses, consistently achieving reduced sentences and even case dismissals.
Convenient Location and Accessibility
Our Fort Lauderdale office is conveniently located near the heart of the city, just a short distance from Chase Stadium and easily accessible by taking the I-95. This prime location ensures easy access for clients and their families, making it simple to schedule consultations and meetings.
Awards and Distinctions
The firm has received numerous awards, including a perfect Avvo rating and multiple five-star client reviews. Our commitment to personalized, compassionate service sets us apart, ensuring every client gets the attention and respect they deserve.
How Does Florida Law Define Robbery?
Robbery is slightly different from theft. While the latter is simply taking something that isn’t yours, robbery is a more serious criminal offense that involves taking someone else’s property through force, intimidation, or threats.
Hence, unlike theft, which can occur without the victim’s presence or awareness, robbery always involves direct interaction with the victim and the use of force or fear to achieve the theft.
Example Activities of Robbery:
- Holding someone at gunpoint to steal their wallet.
- Using physical force to snatch a purse from someone.
- Threatening a store clerk with violence while demanding money.
Relevant Laws and Statutes:
Florida Statute 812.13 makes robbery a felony. The penalties depend on the use of weapons and the severity of the offense.
- Armed Robbery: Involves the use of a weapon and is considered a first-degree felony.
- Strong-Arm Robbery: Involves force without a weapon and is classified as a second-degree felony.
How to Prove Guilt:
Proving robbery requires establishing several key elements:
- Intent: Demonstrating that the accused intended to deprive the victim of their property (in legal terms, mens rea).
- Use of Force or Intimidation: Evidence must show that the defendant used force, threats, or intimidation to commit the crime.
- Ownership: Establishing that the property belonged to someone else and the accused took it without consent.
- Presence of the Victim: Florida differentiates robbery from other theft-related offenses because it requires the victim’s presence during the crime.
- Causation: Evidence must show that the accused committed the crime (in legal terms, actus reus).
Robbery Penalties and Consequences
The legal system doesn’t just stop at fines and prison sentences for robbery convictions; the effects ripple through various aspects of life, affecting everything from finances to career prospects.
Economic Consequences
- Fines and Restitution: Robbery convictions often come with hefty fines. Courts may also order restitution, requiring the offender to compensate the victim for stolen property or other damages incurred during the crime.
- Legal Fees: Defending against robbery charges can be expensive, adding to the financial burden.
Non-Economic Consequences
- Emotional Distress: Being accused of robbery can cause significant emotional distress, affecting mental health and relationships.
- Stigma and Reputation: A robbery conviction can tarnish your reputation, leading to social stigma and strained personal relationships.
Punitive Consequences
- Prison Sentences: Robbery is typically charged as a felony in Florida, with potential prison sentences ranging from several years to life, depending on the severity and circumstances of the crime.
- Probation and Parole: Those convicted may face strict probation terms or parole conditions, requiring regular check-ins and limiting personal freedoms.
Career and Professional Impact
- Loss of Employment: A robbery conviction can lead to job loss, as many employers are unwilling to retain employees with a criminal record.
- Professional Licenses: Certain professions, such as healthcare or law, may revoke licenses upon conviction, ending a professional career.
- Limited Job Prospects: A criminal record can hinder future employment opportunities, making it difficult to secure jobs or advance in one’s career.
Robbery Statistics in Fort Lauderdale
According to FBI crime data, Fort Lauderdale has a higher violent crime rate compared to most communities in America. The chance of becoming a victim of violent crime in Fort Lauderdale, including robbery, is 1 in 238, which equates to a rate of 4 per 1,000 inhabitants.
High-Risk Areas
Certain neighborhoods in Fort Lauderdale are particularly susceptible to robbery and other criminal activities due to high foot traffic and economic conditions.
These high-risk areas often include:
- Downtown Districts: The downtown area, with its mix of businesses, nightlife, and residential neighborhoods, sees a higher concentration of robberies.
- Commercial Areas: Regions with numerous stores and businesses, where cash transactions are common, often attract robberies.
- Tourist Hotspots: Areas frequented by tourists, such as beachfront properties and popular attractions, are often targeted by criminals due to the presence of visitors who may be less vigilant.
Robbery Data
- Downtown Fort Lauderdale: CrimeGrade.org indicates that the robbery rate in downtown Fort Lauderdale is higher than other areas—approximately 3.639 per 1,000 residents annually—making it a hotspot for criminal activity.
- City-wide: In one recent year, Niche.com reports that the entire Fort Lauderdale area reported a robbery rate of 174.1 per 100,000 residents, surpassing the national average of 135.5 per 100,000 residents. This is much higher than surrounding areas like Pompano Beach and Oakland Park.
How Rossen Law Firm Can Help
Given these alarming statistics on robbery and violent crime in Fort Lauderdale, the legal landscape is particularly perilous for those facing robbery charges.
Law enforcement and prosecutors are under intense pressure to secure convictions, often leading to aggressive tactics and severe sentencing recommendations.
With so much at stake, attempting to face robbery charges alone in this charged legal atmosphere could lead to disaster. A knowledgeable attorney is your best defense against becoming another statistic in Fort Lauderdale’s crime data.
Challenges of Self-Representation
The intricate legal system sets numerous procedural rules and evidentiary requirements that can be difficult to navigate.
Without the right legal knowledge and experience, you will not present your case effectively, gather and challenge evidence, or negotiate with prosecutors. Self-representation usually leads to unfavorable outcomes, including longer sentences and harsher penalties.
Our Approach to Robbery Defense
- Comprehensive Case Evaluation: We thoroughly review the details of your case, examining evidence, police reports, and witness statements to identify weaknesses in the prosecution’s case.
- Strategic Defense Planning: Our attorneys develop a customized defense strategy, considering factors like the ones listed below.
- Challenging Evidence: We scrutinize the evidence against you, identifying any violations of your rights or procedural errors that could lead to a dismissal or reduction of charges.
- Negotiation and Trial Representation: Whether negotiating plea deals or representing you in court, we leverage our experience and skills to secure the best possible outcome.
Possible Defense Strategies
Rossen Law Firm employs various defense strategies tailored to each client’s situation:
- Mistaken Identity: Demonstrating that you were not the perpetrator, using alibi evidence or questioning the reliability of witness identification.
- Alibi Evidence: If you were elsewhere when the robbery occurred, providing evidence to support your alibi can create reasonable doubt.
- Witness Credibility: Eyewitness testimony is often unreliable. Cross-examining witnesses and highlighting inconsistencies in their accounts can undermine the prosecution’s case.
- Lack of Intent: Arguing that there was no intent to commit robbery, which is essential for a conviction.
- Intent to Steal: This might involve showing that any property taken was temporarily borrowed or mistaken for your own.
- Voluntary Intoxication: In some cases, demonstrating that you were unable to form the necessary intent due to intoxication can be a viable defense.
- Coerced Confession: Challenging any confessions obtained through coercion, intimidation, or violating your rights.
- Miranda Rights Violations: If law enforcement fails to inform you of your rights, any confession obtained may be inadmissible in court.
- Duress and Coercion: If someone coerced or threatened you into confessing, this can form the basis of a strong defense argument.
- Insufficient Evidence: Highlighting weaknesses or inconsistencies in the prosecution’s evidence to create reasonable doubt.
- Lack of Physical Evidence: In cases where there is little to no physical evidence linking you to the crime, emphasizing this absence can weaken the prosecution’s case.
- Chain of Custody Issues: Questioning how evidence was collected, stored, and handled can reveal potential tampering or contamination.
- Defense of Property: Arguing that any actions taken were in defense of personal property, provided that the force used was reasonable under the circumstances.
- Self-Defense or Defense of Others: If the alleged robbery occurred where you defended yourself or others from harm, you can use this as a valid defense strategy.
What to Do After Being Charged with Robbery
The steps you take immediately following your arrest can significantly impact the outcome of your case. Here are essential actions to consider to help your case succeed:
Preserve Evidence and Documentation
- Keep Receipts and Records: Maintain any receipts, documents, or other evidence that may be relevant to your case. This could include phone records, transaction receipts, or any other documentation that might support your defense.
- Collect Witness Information: Gather contact information for any witnesses who can corroborate your account of events. Witness statements can establish your defense.
Avoid Making Statements
- Do Not Speak to Law Enforcement Without an Attorney: Exercise your right to remain silent until you have legal representation. The opposition will use anything you say against you.
- Refrain from Discussing the Case: Avoid discussing your case with anyone other than your attorney. Casual conversations with friends, family, or others can harm your defense.
Limit Social Media Activity
- Be Cautious Online: Do not post anything about your case or personal life on social media. Prosecutors often use social media posts as evidence in criminal cases.
- Review Privacy Settings: Ensure that your social media accounts are private and that you are mindful of who can view your online activity.
Consult with Rossen Law Firm
- Schedule a Consultation: Bring all relevant information and documentation to your initial consultation with Rossen Law Firm. Our team will review the details of your case and provide guidance on the best course of action.
- Follow Legal Advice: Trust your legal team’s expertise and follow their advice on how to proceed. This might include gathering additional evidence, seeking character references, or preparing for court appearances.
Secure Your Future with Rossen Law Firm
Robbery charges are a serious matter that can have lasting consequences on your life, reputation, and future. Delaying action or attempting to navigate these complex legal challenges on your own could lead to disastrous results, including severe penalties and a permanent criminal record. Our attorneys are ready to fight aggressively for your rights and provide the strategic defense you need.
Don’t wait until it’s too late—take decisive action now. Contact Rossen Law Firm today at (754) 206-6200 for a free consultation, and let us help you secure a brighter future.
Rossen Law Firm – Fort Lauderdale Office
6400 N Andrews Ave #510
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309
Phone: (754) 206-6200
