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Not Guilty: Defending against Bank Robbery Charges
Traditionally, robbery was defined as using force or intimidation to take property from another. Today, when individuals steal from a bank by force or intimidation, they are guilty of bank robbery. The simple conduct of passing a note to a bank teller demanding money falls under the category of bank robbery even if you did not use a weapon, it is intimidation.
Under Wisconsin law, bank robbery is a serious offense. According to the law, a person who commits bank robbery is one who: “by use of force or threat to use imminent force takes from an individual or in the presence of an individual money or property that is owned by or under the custody or control of a financial institution.” Bank robbery is a Class C felony and carries a possible $100,000 fine, up to 40 years imprisonment, or in some cases both.
Going to Trial Is Often Necessary to Prove Your Innocence
Depending on the facts surrounding your case, going to trial may be your only saving grace if you are innocent of the crimes you are charged with. Recently, a Racine County Jury acquitted a Racine man of bank robbery. The 22-year-old was accused of robbing a Wells Fargo Bank in Racine on June 7, 2014, around the time multiple bank robberies occurred in the area.
On the date in question, a bank employee claimed that the individual who robbed the bank:
- Had facial hair—a goatee;
- Wore a black baseball cap; and
- Wore sunglasses.
She also testified that this individual gave her two $20 bills and placed a note down that demanded $3,000 and threatened the use of force. The prosecution relied on certain factors; specifically, testimony based on a lineup, and additional testimony based on DNA evidence that was allegedly on the stolen items. And in this case, the defense attorney was able to find fault in both.
It is here that represents the importance of retaining a skilled criminal defense attorney. In some cases, the prosecution may rely on faulty evidence, or illegally obtained evidence, to pursue a conviction on criminal charges. Or, in some cases, witnesses to the crime may mistakenly identify you as the perpetrator, especially in cases where a lineup was performed correctly. A skilled attorney can highlight any such errors in the prosecution’s case and use them to achieve an acquittal or another favorable outcome.
Consult an Attorney
If you are wrongly charged with bank robbery, or any other crime, you should contact an experienced Milwaukee criminal defense attorney who will aggressively hold the prosecution to its burden of proving each and every element of the offense.
