Actions That Can Lead to Additional Criminal Charges
Facing a criminal charge is daunting. The situation can become even more daunting if you face additional charges. Several actions can result in you facing additional charges. If you are facing criminal charges, you must take great care to avoid additional charges. Additional charges can lead to severe consequences even if you beat the original charges. Understanding what actions can result in a defendant facing additional charges can help you navigate the legal system more effectively and avoid additional complications. Being aware of actions that could lead to additional complications can allow you to make informed decisions and avoid behaviors that could worsen your legal troubles. Below are some actions that can lead to additional criminal charges that you must avoid if you are facing criminal charges.
Tampering With Witnesses
One of the biggest mistakes you can make when facing criminal charges is tampering with witnesses. Witness tampering involves actions such as influencing, bribing, coercing, harassing, threatening, or physically harming a witness who is set to testify against you. Law enforcement and courts take the act of witness tampering very seriously. An additional witness tampering charge can result in heavy penalties, including imprisonment and fines.
Tampering With Evidence
Evidence tampering is another action that can result in additional criminal charges. Tampering with evidence is a criminal offense involving a person altering, concealing, falsifying, or destroying evidence with the intention of interfering with the investigation. Evidence is any document, object, or record that is useful to a criminal investigation. For example, if you are facing theft charges and try to hide the stolen property or destroy surveillance footage, you can face separate charges of evidence tampering. The act of tampering with evidence obstructs justice. It can significantly complicate the legal process. Because of this, law enforcement takes the offense of evidence tampering very seriously. Tampering with evidence can result in additional charges that result in harsh consequences.
Obstruction of Justice
Obstruction of justice occurs when a defendant intentionally interferes with the criminal process. This act can lead to additional criminal charges. Tampering with witnesses or evidence is considered an obstruction of justice. Other actions that constitute obstruction of justice include lying to law enforcement or in court, concealing information, bribing officials, and manipulating jury members.
Violation of Bail Conditions
Bail is an amount of money that a defendant pays so they can be released from custody before their trial. It assures the court that the defendant will attend all court dates. When you are released on bail, the court may set specific conditions that you must meet. For example, you may be instructed not to leave the state or to regularly report to a police station. If you violate any bail conditions, it can result in additional charges or a revocation of bail. For example, if you are facing a drug charge and are prohibited from using drugs or alcohol as a condition of bail and then you use alcohol or drugs, you could face additional charges.
Legal Help Is Available
Your best course of action when facing criminal charges is to hire a criminal defense attorney. Our NYC criminal attorney, Mark I. Cohen can help safeguard your rights. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.
