Defensible Actions in Criminal Law: Legal Professionals

Introduction

It is known that when a defendant admits to committing a crime but claims that their actions were defensible, it might have significant implications for criminal justice professionals, including police officers, defense attorneys, prosecutors, and others. The defendant’s assertion of defensibility can influence each professional’s approach. There are several things to uncover about this matter, such as the definition of “defensible”, its justification, and how the defense can influence professionals, among others.

Defense Application

In the first place, the concept of an action being “defensible” holds significance in legal contexts when a defendant admits their fault but claims for defensible actions. It centers on whether the defendant’s actions can be legally justified when considering applicable laws (Rose, 2020). In the case of a police officer, if a suspect claims self-defense or necessity, they must determine whether the actions were taken to protect themselves or others. The attorney’s role, in turn, is to gather evidence supporting the justification claim to convince the jury that the defendant’s actions were reasonable under the circumstances. Last but not least, a prosecutor’s role shifts to disproving the claim if the defendant claims defensibility to prove that the defendant’s actions were unjustified and unlawful.

Influential Defense

A police officer would focus on gathering evidence from the scene or assessing whether the use of force was substantiated if, for instance, the case revolves around self-defense. In the case of an insanity defense, they might collect medical records and document any erratic behavior. A defense attorney would work to establish that the defendant was legally insane in the same scenario of insanity. However, during an alibi defense, they would try to work out the defendant’s alibi through witness testimony to highlight the defendant was not present. Finally, a prosecutor would assess whether the defendant’s actions met the legal standards for justification when there is a justification defense (Rose, 2020). By contrast, in the case of self-defense, they may present evidence that contradicts the self-defense narrative.

Conclusion

To summarize, several defense-related topics are connected with the various outcomes of cases under different criminal justice professionals. They consist of the way of applying the defense in an appropriate context and the influence on investigators, among other things. Surely, the defendant’s assertion of defensibility can influence the direction of the case, possibly leading to reduced charges or, vice versa, the strengthening of the prosecution’s case.

Reference

Rose, R. R. (2020). Trial practice manual for criminal defense lawyers: A field guide to courtroom combat. American Bar Association.