A 19-year-man was recently shot at a mall in Minnesota. Investigators said that an altercation escalated into a fistfight. At some point, a firearm was dislodged, and the teenager was hit. Following the incident, police arrested five people and stated that they are still looking for an additional individual that they believed may have been involved.
The five people who were arrested were taken into police custody at a nearby residence. Each of them is reportedly now facing murder charges. When multiple people are arrested in connection with the same incident, they could be tried together though the charges for each accused individual must be adjudicated separately.
Exploring defense options
Each of the accused is able to present a defense when facing charges of murder or another crime. Every case is unique and defense options or strategies that may be relevant to one individual might not be of use to another. Experienced guidance is crucial because the average person with no legal background might not even know what options are available.
Being proactive in one’s own defense
If Minnesota police take a person into custody, there are several ways to immediately start executing a defense. For instance, a person can invoke the Fifth Amendment, which protects a person’s right to remain silent during interrogation. If there is evidence that a personal rights violation has occurred, a defense attorney can act on a defendant’s behalf to address the matter in court.