An Immigrant And Ex-ProsecutorProtecting Your Rights

Criminal Court and Downward Departure

On Behalf of | Jul 16, 2018 | Legal Victories

I represented a young man in criminal court, who was charged with two separate offenses of robbery with a firearm. In the State of Florida one charge of Robbert with a firearm is a minimum mandatory of ten years in prison. My client committed two separate robbery with a firearm offenses. The State was forced to offer him 20 years consecutive minimum mandatory in prison. His family Hired me the day he was set to be in court to accept the 20 year offer. The day I showed up in Court his prior attorney had the plea form all ready to go and the client signed for the 20 years. I told the attorney that I was now going to represent him and told the Judge that we were not ready to accept the 20 year offer. I fought hard for my client, eventually under the downward departure act (mitigation) I found that my client could qualify for youthful offender sanction. I did prepared diligently and decided to take our chances with the Judge. At the beginning of the hearing the Judge stated that she has never given a youthful offender sentence. We had a two hour hearing at the end of the hearing the Judge agreed with our presentation and she decided to give him a youthful offender sentence, today my client is a free man … while on probation and community control – I hope he learned his lesson and we gave him another change in life. Fighting for our clients!!!