Austin Jail Release Lawyer

Being an Accessory

If you are an accessory to a crime it means that you have been charged with helping or assisting someone commit a crime. Although being an accessory is less serious, if charged as an accessory it can still hold major punishments for the offender. However, in many states, an accessory can be charge with the same degree of severity as the actually offender. If you have helped a commit a crime, there are several ways in which you may be charged:

• Conspiracy—this is an instance where whether the crime is committed or not, if one helps to plan a crime and is caught, they are charged with conspiracy
• Knowledge of the crime—if a person knows something about the crime, and does nothing to stop it, they may be charged as an accessory
• Accessory—helping to aid criminals commit a crime

Example

A man named Peter decides to commit a crime by stealing merchandise from the store where he works. If his co-worker, Evan, commits any of the following actions he will become an accomplice:

• He distracts the guard of the store while Peter sneaks into the warehouse
• He dismantles the security system so that Peter can get in undetected
• He teaches Peter how to break into the warehouse
• He drives Peter away from the scene

In the end, the government has the burden of proof that the accused willingly aided the criminal in committing the crime. If you or someone you know has been arrested as an accessory to a crime in Austin, contact the Austin jail release lawyer Ian Inglis at 512-472-1950.