Violent felony cases can involve substantial investigative resources, forensic evidence, witness testimony, and significant potential penalties. Meeting that machinery head-on is the whole purpose of Deanna L. Kelley PLLC, where a former prosecutor now works as a criminal defense lawyer in Michigan for the accused.
What Does Michigan Treat as a Violent Crime?
The term “violent crimes” can refer to a range of offenses under Michigan law, depending on the specific statute involved. Common examples include:
- Homicide offenses, from manslaughter through first-degree murder
- Armed robbery, carjacking, and home invasion
- Criminal sexual conduct in every degree
- Assaultive felonies, such as felonious assault and strangulation
Violent crime convictions carry significant consequences well past the prison term, including sentencing guideline scores that quietly inflate any future sentence. Judges also weigh violent priors heavily at every bail hearing you might ever face again.
When a Prior Record Multiplies the Sentence for Violent Crimes
Michigan’s habitual offender laws can increase the penalties for a subsequent felony based on a person’s prior felony convictions. Under MCL 769.12, if a person has been convicted of any combination of three or more felonies or attempts to commit felonies and the subsequent felony is a “serious crime,” the court shall impose a minimum sentence of 25 years when at least one prior felony conviction is a “listed prior felony.”
Prosecutors must file that enhancement notice within 21 days of circuit court arraignment, which gives the defense a narrow window to respond.
How Does the Defense Fight Back?
Violent felony cases live or die on the quality of the state’s proof, so the defense attacks that proof from the first week. Strategy in these files typically develops along several distinct lines:
- Challenging identifications drawn from lineups and photo arrays
- Retesting forensic evidence through independent laboratories
- Establishing self-defense where Michigan law permits reasonable force
- Exposing witness testimony purchased with plea agreements
Physical evidence often looks far weaker under scrutiny than it did in the police report. Our office pulls the underlying lab data, not the summary, before deciding how to try any case like this.
The Case for Our Violent Crimes Defense Lawyer
Years spent charging violent felonies taught Attorney Kelley how the state builds momentum, witness by witness and exhibit by exhibit. Our violent crimes lawyer in Michigan has a unique vantage point and can anticipate the prosecution’s next move rather than merely react. Preparation like that starts long before any jury is selected.
When the Stakes Are Highest, Preparation Wins
Nothing about a violent felony charge ever resolves itself, and the state started preparing on the very day of your arrest. Deanna L. Kelley PLLC meets that imbalance with more than 30 years of courtroom preparation, beginning with a free consultation. Call (248) 714-8520 or contact us online today and start catching up while it still counts.
