If I’m Arrested in Minnesota, What Documents Does My Attorney Need to See?
If you or a loved one are arrested for a crime in Minnesota, the police will immediately start collecting information that they will use to prosecute you. These documents are important and an experienced criminal defense attorney will want to see these at your first meeting if possible. However, there are a whole series of other documents that your defense attorney needs to see in order to build a comprehensive three dimensional criminal defense strategy. If you are facing serious criminal charges in Minnesota, contact Jack Rice Defense for a free confidential consultation or call 651-447-7650 or 612-227-1339.
What Documents Should I Bring to My First Meeting with my Attorney?
Initial Police Report
Upon arrest, police officers in Minnesota are required to write and submit a police report. This report should include their justification for stopping and subsequently arresting that person. It will also include their observations, witnesses present and other pertinent information to help establish that the suspect committed the crime or crimes in question. If you have this document bring it with you when you meet your Minnesota criminal defense attorney.
Follow up Investigatory Reports
In more complex criminal cases, the police investigation includes multiple officers who focus on all aspects of the investigation including interviews and sometimes re-interviews of witnesses to support the criminal charges. These reports may also include additional reports from other organizations including Medical Examination reports, hospital reports, accident reconstruction reports, Minnesota Bureau of Apprehension reports involving DNA testing, fingerprints, blood typing, firearms testing and other forensic reports. It may also include phone and computer analysis in criminal sexual conduct cases as well as other technical analysis. As you can imagine, these reports can be extraordinarily complex. This is one of the reasons you need to have an experienced criminal defense attorney by your side.
Complaint
In most serious criminal cases in Minnesota, the prosecutors in the County in which the criminal case has been charged will file what is called a Complaint. This document lays out the criminal charges as well as a relatively short narrative of allegations that justify the charge. This document is always an important first step because it also helps to clarify possible criminal exposure including specific charges, Minnesota statute numbers, mandatory minimum sentencing, sentencing guidelines issues and more.
Your Criminal Record
Criminal records can be important when handling criminal charges in Minnesota for a lot of reasons. First, some charges are enhanceable which means that they get worse based upon prior convictions. This helps to clarify that. Second, knowing your criminal record can help explain how these charges may impact how a jury sees you in the event that we end up in trial. Third, sentencing guidelines on felony cases will use prior criminal records to impact the amount of criminal jail or prison exposure you might face for the current charges. An experienced criminal defense attorney can learn a lot from this document even if it isn’t obvious at first glance.
Your Minnesota Department of Public Safety Driving Record
There are a lot of criminal charges in Minnesota that involve and impact your driving record. For instance, If you are charged with a DWI in Minnesota, whether it is a misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor or felony, or other driving related charge such as criminal vehicular homicide, criminal vehicular operation, knowing your driving record in Minnesota is very important. It will help explain charges, possible sentences but sometimes helps explain why some prosecutors are handling cases in a certain fashion.
Witnesses
While police reports will frequently list possible witnesses, this is frequently not an exhaustive list. The police are trying to build a case to convict and they may simply not bother to talk to people who will provide the most important information in a case because it doesn’t fit their approach. As a result, it is critical to develop a three dimensional defense strategy. This starts with the client but absolutely includes witnesses. So, names, addresses, phone numbers and general biographical information is always helpful.
Self Defense, Defense of Others, Alibi and more
A large part of developing that so-called three dimensional defense is understanding why you are not guilty. This includes a lot of possible evidence but specifically evidence including self defense, defense of others, alibi and more. These are affirmative defenses which means the Defense in Minnesota may have to meet the burden of proving the Defense. This evidence may consist of testimony, photographs, airplane tickets, hotel room bills or whatever you have to establish that you didn’t do what the police and prosecutors claim you did.
If you Need a Criminal Defense Attorney, go with the best.
If you are facing serious criminal charges in Minnesota, it is important you sit down with an experienced criminal defense attorney. They will have seen these kinds of charges before and can help you establish a proper defense to protect your rights, your reputation and your freedom.
Jack Rice has been practicing law in St. Paul and across the state of Minnesota for 25 years and is an award winning criminal defense attorney. He is a Board Certified Criminal Law Specialist, former prosecutor, former U.S. Federal Agent and Founder of Jack Rice Defense. If you are facing serious criminal charges, contact Jack Rice Defense for a free confidential consultation or call 651-447-7650 or 612-227-1339. And don’t forget to bring all of your documents. Jack’s got your back.