Fort Lauderdale Armed Robbery Suspect Arrested After Standoff
Fort Lauderdale police and Broward County sheriff’s deputies arrested a man they alleged held up a convenience store, shot at officers and then barricaded himself in his home, WSVN reports.
Charges of armed robbery in Fort Lauderdale and throughout South Florida are among the most serious in our criminal justice system.
In Florida, a conviction can lead to years or decades behind bars. Fort Lauderdale criminal defense lawyers have defended many clients charged with this crime and have helped many avoid the most serious allegations levied against them.
Police say the man opened fire on officers after exiting a 7-Eleven convenience store. Officers had arrived after receiving a call of shots fired in the area. After getting to the scene, officers allegedly spotted the man outside the store.
The 27-year-old allegedly had two handguns and had shot at two different officers — one police officer and one deputy. Driving away, he drove to a house in the Windward Lakes Condominiums, police said. He allegedly refused to come out once police surrounded the complex. SWAT team members were called in.
The standoff lasted several hours, the news report states, until officers gassed the man’s apartment, came in and arrested him. No injuries were reported. The man faces several charges, though the news report doesn’t list them all.
Charges of armed robbery are difficult because the allegation is so difficult. But offenses against law enforcement officers can be an uphill battle for defendants. Not only will the agency try to find as many charges as possible to file against the defendant, jurors tend to not be sympathetic in cases where the police officer is the alleged victim.
Jurors already tend to value the opinion of police above lay witnesses and defendants and labeling them as victims only makes things more difficult. Fort Lauderdale criminal defense lawyers must be called in to help a defendant in such a situation.
Jury selection, many lawyers argue, is the most important part of a trial. Get a jury that will favor police and the defendant has an uphill battle. Pick jurors who will consider all facts and follow the law as the judge says, and you have a fair trial, a guarantee of all defendants.
The police officer’s word carries much weight, but the evidence does as well. It may be possible in some cases to prove a situation of mistaken identity in similar situations. As the Florida Criminal Lawyer Blog recently reported, eye witness identification has come under fire in other states as witness testimony has been proven time and time again to be shaky at best. The state often tries to use less-than-credible sources to secure convictions.
Obviously, each case is different and a defense can only be established based on the available facts. With the stakes as high as they are, trust in an attorney who has years of experience and has the skills to ensure your rights are upheld and all the facts come out.
If you are arrested in West Palm Beach or elsewhere in South Florida, contact Leifert & Leifert at 954-523-9600 or 561-988-8000 for a free consultation.
More Blog Entries:
Eyewitness ID in Boca Raton Criminal Cases Must Be Challenged: September 23, 2011
Broward Shooting at Check-Cashing Store Turns Deadly: August 18, 2011
