Defending Violent Crimes

The Best Defense is a Good Offense

When defending clients charged with violent crimes, attorney Raymond D. Sprowls doesn't just wait around to see what the police and prosecutors come up with. He takes proactive steps to protect his clients.

"People think that being a defendant means you are on the defensive. That's a misconception. You don't sit back and wait for the other side to do all the work. You have to be willing to investigate a case and go on the offensive if you want to succeed." — Attorney Raymond D. Sprowls

Building a Defense

One of the most beneficial steps Mr. Sprowls takes in these cases is to quickly track down and interview potential witnesses. Some of these witnesses may help to establish the client's alibi. Others may show that the authorities arrested the wrong person. He will gather information that may allow him to challenge identification procedures, eyewitness testimony and witness statements. Based on this information, he will explore possible defenses like self defense or duress.

Assault With a Deadly Weapon: Acquittal

In one case, the victim was stabbed in the eye by Mr. Sprowls' client. By interviewing witnesses prior to the trial, Mr. Sprowls was able to establish that his client acted in self defense. The client was acquitted.

One Way to Turn a Case on Its Head

Documenting the sequence of events as accurately as possible is extremely important because most cases dealing with violent crime rely very heavily on the facts of the case. Determining what happened when, and how the events unfolded can turn a case on its head. It is important to hire a skilled criminal defense attorney who will help document these events and move quickly to obtain and preserve any evidence.

Mr. Sprowls not only knows how to work a case. Because of his background as a prosecutor and his extensive trial experience, he is able to take quick and decisive action to protect his clients.

If you have been charged with any violent crime, from assault, aggravated assault, and battery charges to homicide, you need an attorney who will work hard to achieve a positive result in your case.

To schedule a free, in-office consultation, please contact criminal defense lawyer Raymond D. Sprowls. He represents clients charged with violent crimes throughout New York's Hudson Valley.

Recent Case Results

November, 2009:
Two men were arrested in a car after police claimed they had seen the driver (Mr. Sprowls’ client) throw a quantity of cocaine out the window and on to a city street. At a pre-trial suppression hearing, Mr. Sprowls successfully argued to the judge that the evidence should be suppressed. Once the evidence was suppressed, the D.A. had no choice but to dismiss all criminal charges. The defendant ended up pleading guilty to a speeding ticket!
October, 2009:
A few months after Mr. Sprowls’ client was arrested during the execution of a search warrant, Mr. Sprowls got the felony charges dismissed. The defendant had been found inside an apartment with prescription pills, marijuana, cocaine, and drug paraphernalia in the room next to where the defendant was standing. Mr. Sprowls used his extensive knowledge of search and seizure law and the facts of the case to convince the D.A. that the case could not be proven against his client and persuaded the prosecutor to dismiss the charges.
August, 2009:
The police arrested two boys and charged them with felony Criminal Mischief, claiming the boys had caused damage in excess of $500.00 to a local municipal park. The boys denied the charges. The end result? Mr. Sprowls got the case dismissed in exchange for the boys’ promise each pay only $100.00. The moral of the story? Never accept the word of the police as truth -- they lie and exaggerate just as much as anyone else.
August, 2008
Two men were arrested and charged with Burglary in the Third Degree, a Class D felony. Mr. Sprowls' client had just finished serving 22 years in state prison and was on parole.

Within five weeks of the defendant's arraignment, Mr. Sprowls got the case dismissed and the defendant is a free man.
March, 2008:
A high school-aged boy and four of his friends were arrested and charged with multiple felonies, including Burglary in the First Degree and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree. If convicted of the Burglary Charge as an adult, Mr. Sprowls’ client could have been sentenced to anywhere between 5 and 25 years in state prison. In October, 2008, after extensive investigation and interviews with witnesses, Mr. Sprowls got the case dismissed and his client’s bright future remained intact.
February, 2008
Five people were arrested in a commercial establishment during the execution of a search warrant. The store was a "weed spot" and had been selling to a steady stream of customers for months.

Mr. Sprowls' client was in the common area of the store when the police entered and no marijuana was found on his person.

Within a month of his arrest, Mr. Sprowls got the case against his client dismissed.
December, 2007
Two men were arrested in the City of Newburgh and charged with multiple Class D Felonies, including Grand Larceny in the Third Degree and Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Third Degree. Mr. Sprowls' client had a lengthy criminal record going back over thirty years with a prior felony conviction. The D.A. was out for blood and insisted that the two men would go to state prison for these crimes.

Of course, Mr. Sprowls could represent only one of the defendants. After investigating the case and researching the applicable law, Mr. Sprowls advised his client to refuse all plea offers and to remain ready for trial.

The co-defendant was subsequently indicted and his case was transferred to County Court where he is looking at a state prison sentence.

Mr. Sprowls' client is now a free man. Because Mr. Sprowls knew the law and the facts of the case, all of the charges were dismissed and the defendant is home with his family.