What are some of the possible defenses to a violent crime charge?

When facing a violent crime charge, the accused has the right to mount a defense. In California, the possible defenses to a violent crime charge are the same as any other defense – including self-defense, defense of another person, necessity, accident, or lack of intent. Self-defense is a common defense for a violent crime charge as it implies that an act of violence was necessary to protect oneself or another person from immediate harm. Under California law, self-defense is only justified if an accused believed that there was an imminent threat of harm or death. Defense of another person is another potential defense to a violent crime charge. This is used when an accused person acts in self-defense, but the person they were defending was not involved in a criminal act. This defense requires that the accused reasonably believed that the person they were defending was in imminent danger of suffering bodily harm. The defense of necessity is used when an accused person commits a criminal act to prevent a greater harm. This is sometimes used when an accused person commits a violent crime in order to protect themselves or others from imminent harm. The defense of accident is a valid defense when an accused person did not intend to commit the crime, but due to circumstances beyond their control, a crime was committed. This means that the accused had no intention of committing a criminal act. Finally, the defense of lack of intent is used when the accused can demonstrate that they did not act with criminal intent. This means that their actions were not deliberate, malicious, or premeditated. These are some of the possible defenses to a violent crime charge in California. An experienced criminal defense attorney can provide more information to help determine the best defense strategy.

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