Richmond Violent Crimes Attorney
A Diverse Women-Led Team Defending Violent Crime Charges in Virginia
Charged with a violent or serious crime? Let a winning team of lawyers defend you against your accusations. Our firm is led by a diverse team of women with a winning track record of overturning cases. Many clients come to us after feeling dissatisfied with the direction of their case. While the criminal law field is aggressive and unfriendly, we take a client-oriented and compassionate approach to build an effective defense. We will treat you like family and fight tenaciously for mitigated or even dismissed charges.
Are you facing violent crime charges in Virginia? Call Airington Law today at (804) 294-2719 or contact us online to schedule a meeting with our violent crimes lawyer in Richmond! Spanish services available.
Murder Laws in Virginia
One type of violent crime we defend Richmond County clients against is murder, a corruption of homicide that occurs when a person knowingly and purposefully kills another person or causes such substantial bodily harm that they die due to the injuries inflicted. There are several categories of murder in Virginia, particularly:
- Capital Murder – murder-for-hire, murder of law enforcement, murder by a prisoner, serial murder, drug-related murder, murder of a child
- First Degree Murder – killing another by poison, lying in wait, imprisonment, starving, or by any willful, deliberate, and premeditated killing or in the commission of, or attempt to commit, arson, rape (below), forcible sodomy, object sexual penetration, robbery, burglary, or abduction
- Second Degree Murder – murder other than capital or first-degree murder, such as felony murder (murder that happens in the commission of a felony, even if it is an accidental death)
Capital murders are punishable by the death penalty; first-degree murder is punishable by 20 years to life imprisonment and up to $100,000 in fines; and second-degree murder is punishable by 5-40 years in prison.
There are several defenses our attorneys could pursue on your behalf. Your situation might warrant a claim of self-defense, or you may have been falsely accused due to mistaken identity. We will evaluate the circumstances of your case to build the most rigorous defense.
Child Abuse
Our firm also defends clients accused of child abuse. Child abuse addresses the physical, emotional, or sexual abuse of a minor, as well as issues of child neglect and abandonment. The following serious injuries to a child may constitute the occurrence of child abuse:
- severe burns or cuts;
- mutilation;
- disfigurement;
- fractures;
- forcing a child to ingest a dangerous substance; and
- internal injuries that are life-threatening.
What are the Penalties for Violent Crimes in Virginia?
Virginia classifies child abuse as a Class 4 felony punishable by 2-10 years in prison and/or a fine of $100,000.
Note that Virginia also has mandatory reporting laws that require the following individuals to report any suspected child abuse and neglect to the Virginia Department of Social Services:
- social workers;
- probation officers;
- teachers;
- doctors;
- police officers;
- mental health professionals.
Failing to report within 24 hours of having reason to believe child abuse or neglect is a $500 fine for a first failure or $1,000 for a subsequent failure. If the failure to report included sex crimes, you could be charged with a Class 1 misdemeanor.
Start your defense with our Richmond violent crimes attorney!
Airington Law is a boutique criminal defense and immigration law firm committed to providing justice and high quality legal advice to our clients. Our trusted and passionate lawyers will treat your case with the knowledge, time and care it deserves. Contact our team to learn how we can help, we have been serving clients throughout Virginia since 2009.
Rape and Sexual Abuse Under Virginia Law
Rape and sexual abuse are other serious offenses often associated with the above. Under Virginia law, rape is defined as sexual intercourse with a person (whether or not you are married) under one of the following situations:
- against their will by force, threat, or intimidation;
- through the use of the alleged victim’s mental incapacity or physical helplessness;
- if the alleged victim is under 13 years of age.
Sexual abuse that does not amount to rape is also criminally punishable as sexual battery. Sexual battery may involve non-consensual sexual abuse or an offender in a position of authority over the alleged victim.
Rape is punishable by five years to life in prison, depending on the circumstances of the offense, such as the presence of violence. Sexual battery, on the other hand, is a Class 1 misdemeanor punishable by up to 12 months in prison and/or up to $2,500 in fines, but aggravated sexual battery is a more serious felony punishable by 1-20 years in prison and up to $100,000 in fines.
If you have been alleged to attempt to commit the above sex crimes, you might face a different (but no less serious) range of penalties:
- Rape, forcible sodomy, sexual penetration using an object – Class 4 felony
- Aggravated sexual battery – Class 6 felony
- Sexual battery – Class 1 misdemeanor
Contact Our Richmond Violent Crimes Lawyer Today
Criminal charges are not easy to handle, especially when they involve accusations of severe or violent offenses like murder, child abuse, or rape. At Airington Law, we will provide compassionate and assertive legal representation as we put a diverse team on your case to strategize a unique defense. It can be hard to discuss your allegations, but we aim to foster a welcoming and open-minded environment to discuss your legal options.
Contact Airington Law today to schedule a consultation with our violent crimes attorney in Richmond!
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