The Cocoa Police Department recently arrested a 17-year-old for attempted murder of his mother. The defendant allegedly hit his own mother with a frying pan and stabbed her several times.
As the defendant is a Juvenile, most of the information is sealed, but there is still a lot that can be discovered about the case. An
carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, and as such, the prosecuting attorney will be very interested in making sure to do their due diligence on the case. While the age of the defendant is likely to be discussed as a mitigating factor regarding plea negotiations, the prosecutor will likely attempt to charge the defendant as an adult. This process is often referred to as a “direct file”, where under Florida Statutes, the prosecutor argues that the juvenile/minor defendant should be charged as an adult. The defendant also allegedly fled the arresting police officers and was only apprehended after getting into an accident. There are a few different criminal charges that could arise from this incident. For example, resisting a police officer without committing any intentional violence is a misdemeanor charge. Additionally, reckless driving is another misdemeanor charge, and fleeing and attempting to elude is a felony. These charges are all likely to be handled along with the significantly more serious charge of attempted murder. Because this defendant faces several serious charges, she will likely need the assistance of a skilled defense attorney. A defense attorney will likely review all the evidence from Cocoa Police Department’s body-worn camera, as well as any statements made by any witnesses to the incident, including the Defendant’s friend who allegedly saw this incident. Motions to suppress can be filed if Muni’s rights were violated during the driving investigation, but most likely a stand your ground hearing will need to be held in regards to the charge at hand. Additionally, depositions can be taken of any witnesses to create a record of each witnesses’ account of the incident and to determine if they differ at all from the police’s reports. If you or a family member find yourself charged with a crime, do not hesitate to contact the experienced lawyers of The Smith and Eulo law firm at
352-WIN-4YOU for your FREE consultation.
