Violent Crimes Lawyer in Bloomington

Violent crimes like assault and battery, armed robbery, or attempted murder are among the most serious of all criminal charges. If you’ve been charged with a violent crime in Bloomington, Illinois, you face severe penalties, including years in prison. Your future is on the line unless you can beat these charges or negotiate a plea agreement.

A Bloomington violent crimes lawyer from Bruno Law Offices can help you defend against these charges, raise reasonable doubt at your criminal trial, and work to protect you from the penalties you might otherwise face.

Bruno Law Offices is the gold standard for criminal defense in central Illinois. Founded in 1980, we are known as the region’s leading criminal defense firm. We have the experience, the legal knowledge, and the winning track record to defend against the most serious criminal charges. If you need a violent crime defense lawyer in Bloomington, Illinois, call Bruno Law Offices at 309-861-9960 or contact us online today.

Crimes Against Persons in Illinois

In Illinois, violent crimes, or “crimes against persons,” include:

Assault
Battery and aggravated battery
Domestic violence
Robbery and armed robbery
Home invasion
Gun charges
Kidnapping
Sexual assault
Manslaughter
Murder and attempted murder

Some violent crimes, like a first offense for domestic battery, are only misdemeanors. Others, like kidnapping or murder, are felonies punished with a lengthy prison sentence. Whatever charge you face, a skilled criminal defense attorney can mount the strongest possible defense for you.

Assault and Battery

Assault and battery are two separate charges in Illinois. A person is guilty of assault when they put another person in fear of battery. For example, if you raise your fist threateningly at another person, that is an assault even if you never actually hit them.

Assault is usually a Class C misdemeanor, but can be elevated to a Class A misdemeanor or even a felony for aggravated assault charges. Some examples of aggravating factors are:

Assaulting a public official or police officer
Assaulting an elderly or disabled person
Assaulting a person in a church or a synagogue
Using a deadly weapon such as a firearm or a motor vehicle

Felony assault can be either a Class 3 or a Class 4 felony, depending on the circumstances.

Battery is the crime of causing bodily harm or making physical contact in a provoking or insulting way. Battery is usually a Class A misdemeanor, but aggravated battery is a felony. Circumstances that can lead to an aggravated battery charge include:

Causing great bodily harm
Causing disability
Causing disfigurement
Using a firearm

Battery charges are common in domestic violence cases. Although assault and battery charges are not among the most serious violent crimes, they can still result in fines, imprisonment, and long-term stigma. A criminal defense attorney can help you fight these charges.

Robbery and Home Invasion

Illinois defines robbery as the act of taking property from another person by force or the threat of force. Aggravated robbery is robbery with the use of a deadly weapon. If you tell a person to give you their property or you will beat them up, that is robbery. If you tell them to give you their property or you will shoot them, that is aggravated robbery, even if you do not have a gun. Robbery is usually a Class 2 felony in Illinois, but it is a Class 1 felony if:

The victim is over the age of 60
The victim is disabled
The robbery happened in a school, church, or daycare

Aggravated robbery is always a Class 1 felony.

Home invasion is the crime of entering a home when you know someone will be there so you can threaten them with violence or commit violence against them. Home invasion is a Class X felony in Illinois. Class X felonies involve especially severe penalties.

Gun Charges in Illinois

While American citizens have the constitutional right to own a firearm, Illinois law regulates the possession and use of firearms in various ways. To legally own a firearm or ammunition in Illinois, you must have a Firearm Owner’s Identification Card issued by the State Police.

Gun charges can be either misdemeanors or felonies in Illinois, depending on the specifics of the case. Gun charges in Illinois include:

Unlawful possession of a firearm
Unlawful use of a weapon
Reckless discharge of a firearm
Possession of a weapon near a school
Possession of a weapon near public housing

Kidnapping

In Illinois, kidnapping is the crime of secretly holding a person against their will. Kidnapping is a Class 2 felony in Illinois, but aggravated kidnapping is a Class X felony. Aggravated kidnapping is kidnapping with any of the following aggravating circumstances:

Holding a person for ransom
Kidnapping a child under age 13 or a person with a severe intellectual disability
Inflicting great bodily harm or any other felony on the victim
Kidnapping while using a gun or other deadly weapon

If you’ve been charged with kidnapping in Illinois, you need the strongest criminal defense you can find to avoid spending many years in prison.

Sexual Assault and Rape

The crime of rape is known as criminal sexual assault in Illinois. Criminal sexual assault is the act of sexual penetration when:

Using force or the threat of force
The victim is unable to give consent
The victim is a family member under age 18
The offender is over age 17 in a position of authority, and the victim is over age 13 but under age 18

Criminal sexual assault is a Class 1 felony, but some prior convictions can change it to a Class X felony, potentially leading to decades in prison.

Murder and Manslaughter

Murder is the most serious violent crime you can be charged with in Illinois. Under Illinois law, first-degree murder is the crime of intentionally killing another person without legal justification or committing another felony that leads to the death of a person. Penalties for first-degree murder include:

20 to 60 years in prison
60 to 100 years in prison
Life in prison

Second-degree murder is the crime of killing a person in a sudden passion caused by serious provocation or an unreasonable belief that the killing was legally justified. In Illinois, second-degree murder is a Class 1 felony. Attempted murder is a Class X felony.

Manslaughter is the crime of unintentional homicide and can be either voluntary or involuntary. In Illinois, involuntary manslaughter refers to crimes such as reckless homicide, which are not considered violent crimes. Voluntary manslaughter refers to the unintentional killing of an unborn child while attempting to kill the mother under serious provocation. Voluntary manslaughter is a Class 1 felony.

Penalties for Violent Crimes in Illinois

Penalties for violent crimes in Illinois depend on whether you are convicted of a misdemeanor or a felony.

The penalty for a misdemeanor is up to 364 days in jail with a fine of up to $2500.
A Class 1 felony in Illinois has a penalty of up to 15 years in prison unless the conviction was for second-degree murder, in which case the penalty is up to 20 years in prison.
The penalty for a Class 2 felony is up to seven years in prison or 14 years for an extended term offense.
A Class 3 felony has a penalty of two to five years in prison.
The penalty for a Class 4 felony is one to three years in prison, or up to six years for an extended term offense.
The penalty for a Class X felony can be up to 30 years in prison.

Defenses Against Violent Crime Charges in Illinois

Your Bloomington violent crimes attorney will determine the best defense strategy for you, based on the specifics of your case. Common defenses against violent crime charges in Illinois include:

Alibi: You can present evidence that you were somewhere else and could not have committed the violent crime you’re charged with.
Evidence suppression: Your attorney demonstrates that evidence from the criminal investigation was collected in violation of your constitutional rights and should be suppressed in court.
False allegations: Your attorney attempts to show that a witness has falsely accused you.
Lack of intent: Some violent crime charges require a specific intent for conviction, so your attorney may argue that you did not have the intent to commit the crime.
Mistaken identity: Your attorney argues that a witness incorrectly identified you as the person who committed the crime.
Self-defense: You admit committing a violent act but assert that you were defending yourself or another person from a forcible felony or imminent threat of death or great bodily harm when you did so. The force you used must have been necessary and proportional under the circumstances.

As you can see, there are many ways to raise reasonable doubt about the charges against you and to fight for dismissal, acquittal, or reduced charges. If your attorney doesn’t think that acquittal is realistic, they can still present a strong defense so the prosecutor will offer reduced charges in exchange for a plea bargain.

Contact a Bloomington Violent Crimes Defense Attorney Today

A Bloomington violent crimes defense attorney from Bruno Law Offices can give you the best chance of beating the charges against you or reducing their impact on your life. Whether your charge is gun possession, assault and battery, or murder, contact the criminal defense attorneys at Bruno Law Offices for the strong defense you need.

Violent crime charges can have serious consequences for your future, but don’t give up. Call Bruno Law Offices at 309-861-9960 immediately.