What Does It Mean to Be a Criminal Accomplice?

Being caught and charged with a crime is a disorienting experience enough, but what if you were arrested for being a criminal accomplice instead? What if you had nothing to do with the crime, but are being named as an accomplice by the police? Here’s what you should know and how to get legal help from an experienced attorney in Hartford.

How Does California Law Treat Accomplices?

The person who commits a crime is called the principal, while others who may be helping them commit the crime are called accomplices. Under Connecticut law, accomplices are typically just as culpable for a criminal offense as a principal, especially if the actions of the group resulted in the serious harm or death of another person.

How Prosecutors Must Prove You Were an Accomplice

In any criminal case, the prosecution has the burden of proof to show the court that the defendant is guilty of the crime which they are accused of. In the case of proving a defendant was a criminal accomplice, the following must be shown:

The defendant was involved in the crime and there was no issue of mistaken identity
The defendant had knowledge of, or should have had knowledge, that the actions were criminal
The defendant willingly engaged in these actions

You may be able to be charged with being a criminal accomplice if the prosecution can show where you knew the defendant was going to commit a crime and you offered tips, encouragement, advice, or other counseling on how, when, and where to commit the crime. If you knew and just egged the defendant on, you may still be on the hook for accomplicement.

Can An Accomplice Be Charged With the Crime Itself?

In some circumstances, a criminal accomplice may incur a charge for the crime itself. For example, if a friend robbed a bank and you drove the getaway car, you may also be charged with bank robbery.

When to Contact a Seasoned Hartford Criminal Defense Lawyer

Even if you are only suspected of helping someone commit a crime, or merely gave them a tip in jest, you could be in serious trouble if they actually committed the crime. If police have evidence to show you were a physical accomplice, your future is even more at risk. Don’t trust just anyone when your life is on the line; contact Attorney J. Christopher Llinas today for a consultation by calling (860) 530-1781.

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Christopher Llinas

J. Christopher Llinas is a Connecticut criminal defense and immigration attorney with over 25 years of legal experience. He is the founder of Iron Chris Criminal Defense & Immigration, based in Middletown, CT. Chris earned his J.D. from Franklin Pierce Law Center (now the University of New Hampshire School of Law) in 1997 and holds a B.A., magna cum laude, in English from Salisbury University. During law school he served as a teaching assistant for Civil Procedure and Constitutional Law, and competed in moot court and trial advocacy programs. He began his legal career as an Assistant Public Defender, defending clients in felony, misdemeanor, and traffic matters. He later served as an Assistant State's Attorney, prosecuting criminal and traffic cases — giving him a firsthand understanding of how the prosecution builds its case. He has also served as a law clerk, legal aid attorney, and in-house corporate counsel before dedicating his practice to criminal defense and immigration. Chris is admitted to practice in Connecticut, Maryland, the U.S. District Court, and the U.S. Court of Appeals. He is a member of the Connecticut Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL), the National College of DUI Defense (NCDD), and the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). His practice covers DUI and OUI defense, drug charges, weapons charges, violent crimes, juvenile matters, probation violations, federal criminal defense, and immigration removal proceedings throughout Connecticut.