I had a juvenile car jacking case a few years ago. My client, a juvenile at the time of the alleged offense, was in the backseat of a vehicle driven by an older male. The other passenger in the front seat was also an adult. The driver of the car followed another vehicle for a time when the other vehicle stopped. The two adults got out of their vehicle and car jacked (at gunpoint) the other vehicle. My client got out of the car and drove the car jacked vehicle. He became involved in a high speed chase with police and ended up crashing the vehicle. My client was charged with car jacking and placed in Division M.
Before trial, I argued that my client had a minimal juvenile record. Furthermore, he didn't point a gun at anyone (he didn't possess a firearm) and was coerced by the two adults to flee the scene with the car jacked vehicle.
I was successful and my client was placed on probation. He was facing a minimum mandatory sentence (Division M for career criminals) of ten years in prison.
As a general principle, an experienced criminal trial lawyer can find mitigating circumstances that may eventually reduce the charges or sentences a client faces as a result of a criminal charge.
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