West Columbia Conspiracy Lawyer

Conspiracy charges occur when two or more people are alleged to have worked together to attempt or commit a criminal act. When one of those accused people is you, you need a strong defense to protect your constitutional rights. High fines and years in prison can occur for a plan to commit an illegal act, even if you never committed the act. This makes it incredibly crucial that you fight back against these charges.

An experienced West Columbia conspiracy lawyer can build you a defense to protect your rights and defend your interests. Schedule a consultation today to meet with one of our experienced defense attorneys.

Conspiracy Charges Under South Carolina Law

A conspiracy charge requires that the prosecutor prove all the elements of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt. This is an extremely high burden that requires proof to satisfy the elements. To prove a case of conspiracy, the prosecutor must prove that the defendant entered into an agreement with a minimum of one other person to engage in some type of illegal conduct or to engage in legal conduct that is accomplished in an illegal way.

Although a conspiracy charge requires an agreement between at least two parties, it does not actually require that the agreement be written down, or even stated aloud. This means that a “tacit” or “implied” agreement between two parties can sufficiently satisfy this element of the offense. This leaves a lot up to the interpretation of the prosecutor and could provide an avenue for charging conduct that never led to an offense.

Another important element the prosecutor must prove is the defendant’s intent to be involved in the conspiracy. The defendant is required to knowing participate in the illegal agreement and have the intent to accomplish an illegal goal. The prosecutor must prove all these elements by the high legal standard of beyond a reasonable doubt. A strong defense can challenge the accusations of the prosecutor and make it difficult for them to prove their case.

No Illegal Act Needs to Actually Occur

An incredible aspect of this criminal charge is that no criminal act needs to occur to be charged with conspiracy. In fact, the defendants involved in the alleged conspiracy technically never even have to attempt to commit the act. They simply must agree to it. Once that happens, the offense of conspiracy is complete.

While this is technically true, it is exceptionally rare that an agreement itself is charged for conspiracy without an attempted or completed crime. Conspiracy charges are much more common when an attempted crime or actual crime allegedly occurred, and two or more people were involved in its commission. A skilled criminal defense attorney can protect the defendant’s rights when facing conspiracy charges.

Common Defense to Conspiracy Charges

Legal defenses to conspiracy charges include, but are not limited to:

• Show no intent existed to commit an illegal act
• Present reasonable doubt
• Disprove the existence of an agreement
• Show that there were no co-conspirators

These defenses could reduce or eliminate the potential penalties a defendant faces.

Work with a Conspiracy Attorney in West Columbia to Defend Your Case

Every defendant, including you, deserves a properly presented legal defense to help protect their constitutional rights. A conspiracy charge can result in significant penalties, so a strong defense is crucial to protecting yourself.

An experienced West Columbia conspiracy lawyer is ready to help you. Contact us today.