Carjacking

If you or a loved one has been charged with carjacking, the consequences may be severe, and an experienced and aggressive defense lawyer may be the only person standing between you and a lengthy prison sentence. Benjamin Herbst has handled violent felony offenses such as carjacking and robbery, and is available 24 hours a day to offer a free consultation about your case. Mr. Herbst is willing to travel to meet you anywhere in Maryland and will immediately go out to the jail to visit a loved one that is currently being held. Many violent felonies are filed simply because someone has provided police with an identification, and oftentimes an id will not hold up in court with a vigorous cross-examination. In addition, the alleged victims in these cases frequently have lengthy criminal records or motives to lie. The Herbst Firm will explore every possible defense in your case and we will never stop fighting no matter how much evidence the state thinks they have.

Carjacking is one of the most serious crimes in the state, and a conviction carries a maximum jail sentence of 30 years. The law defines this crime as taking control of another person’s vehicle by force or violence, and without permission. The state also can prove a case with evidence that the person in control of the vehicle was not actually harmed, but merely placed in fear that harm was going to happen. It is not a defense to this crime that the accused only intended to use the vehicle temporarily. There are a variety of defenses to a carjacking case and many ways to have this charge thrown out in court. Identification is always one of the strongest defenses because defendants are rarely arrested in the vehicle they are accused of stealing. The state typically does not have strong physical evidence in these cases and as a result people are falsely accused and even falsely convicted of this felony charge.

It is also important to understand that a person who is charged with carjacking is often charged with multiple other crimes. These crimes may include robbery, theft, and even burglary. It is not unconstitutional to charge, convict, or even sentence a defendant to each of these crimes for the same event. Thus a defendant accused of this crime often faces much more that a maximum of 30 years in prison. Armed carjacking may also be charged if there was evidence that the accused used a dangerous weapon in the commission of the crime. Do not wait to retain an attorney for any violent felony. If you have been arrested or know someone that has, police will often conduct a rigorous interrogation to try to get more evidence to use against you or a loved one. We can immediately contact police to make sure this does not happen. Our criminal lawyers can also start defending your case right away by locating alibi witnesses, subpoenaing video surveillance, and negotiating with state’s attorneys. Contact us today for a free consultation at 410-207-2598.

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