Unarmed Robbery

Unarmed robbery is among the more serious types of theft charges in Michigan. If you are convicted of unarmed robbery, you face a felony, which can result in prison time, thousands in fines and a permanent criminal record. There is a “gray area” between larceny and unarmed robbery, which is the “use of force, violence or threat.” This difference is very nuanced and requires the expertise of an experienced attorney who can identify the mitigating factors of your innocence. With so much as stake, it is critical to call me today to preserve your rights and achieve the best possible outcome for your case.

Offense

Under Michigan law, a prosecutor must prove three elements beyond a reasonable doubt to secure an unarmed robbery conviction:

Force, Violence or Threat Against a Victim

First, the defendant used force or violence or the threat of force or violence against a victim. A threat that causes the victim to fear is enough to satisfy this element.

“In the Course” of Committing Larceny (Theft)

Second, the defendant was in the course of committing a larceny. A “larceny” is the taking of someone else’s property with intent to steal. The phrase “in the course” is used broadly under Michigan law, and usually includes before, during and after the actual larceny or theft.

Victim Present During Larceny

Third, the victim was present while the defendant was in the course of committing the larceny. This logically ties in with the first element, which requires force, violence or threat against a victim.

MPC 750.530

Penalties

Unarmed robbery is a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Even if you attempt robbery but are unsuccessful, you are subject to severe penalties. If you have been accused or charged with unarmed robbery, call me today to build a defense strategy and fight the charges against you.

ZAYID LAW’S Defenses to Unarmed Robbery

Unarmed robbery charges are extremely fact dependent, and there are several elements that the prosecution must meet in order to convict you of the crime. I understand the burden of proof and I know how to poke holes in the prosecution’s case. I also know that there is a lot on the line and work tirelessly to defend your unarmed robbery charges.

Robbery charges, like most theft charges, are tricky because there is a lot of room for discretion. That being said, I have experience using this “gray area” to mitigate a defendant’s culpability. ZAYID LAW utilizes a multi-faceted approach to attacking the prosecution’s case and poking holes in the investigation. Some of the common defenses I deploy include:

• Challenging the ownership to the property. Many times, there is a genuine dispute over the ownership, which may lead to accusations of robbery.
• Understandably, victims of robbery are under distress and sometimes do not accurately depict the perpetrator.
• Objecting to evidence illegally obtained, be it through a warrantless search, invalid search warrant, or improper confession

This is not an exhaustive list of defenses, and the only way to fully understand the tools at your disposal is by calling me and ZAYID LAW today. The sooner you call me, the sooner we can build your winning defense strategy and achieve the best possible outcome of your robbery case.