If you have been arrested for any drug charge in California, your best option is to contact a criminal defense attorney sooner rather than later. At Law Offices of Torrence L. Howell, one of the ways in which we will work to secure a dismissal is to look at potential mistakes law enforcement may have made. Keep reading to learn more about them and then contact us at 909-920-0908 if you are in need of a consultation with an experienced drug crimes attorney.
Incorrectly Identifying the Drug
Police often make assumptions when they see a substance that resembles an illegal drug even if it is not. For example, they may see a powder and assume that it is a narcotic when it is actually a legal protein powder. If this happened to you, then your criminal defense attorney can request that the evidence is evaluated in a crime lab. The test results will prove what the substance really is.
You Were Unlawfully Searched
One of the first things we will do when you contact Law Offices of Torrence L. Howell is to go over the moments that led to your arrest. We are going to be looking for illegal behavior from the arresting officer. If they did not follow protocol to the T, then any evidence they obtained could be found inadmissible and you could have the charges dropped.
For example, if you were pulled over by the police and they looked through your trunk or other areas that were not in plain sight, and that you did not give them permission to search, then this is likely an unlawful search and seizure. This is why we strongly recommend that you never consent to have your vehicle or property searched.
You Were Entrapped
The police are well within their legal rights to lie to you but they cannot pressure you to commit a crime that you would not have otherwise committed. If they do so, it is known as entrapment. If the police have lured you into a situation in which you were convinced by them to break the law, then you should write down every detail of the situation and then immediately contact Law Offices of Torrence L. Howell at 909-920-0908.
Evidence Was Lost
Most drug cases rest heavily on the physical evidence against the accused. For this reason, we may request that the prosecutor brings the drugs that were allegedly confiscated from you. It is more common than many people might think for this type of evidence to be lost. If that happens, then it is likely the charges will be dropped.
These are just some defense options. If your case does not fit squarely into one of them, that does not mean there are no defense options. It simply means that you have all the more reason to contact Law Offices of Torrence L. Howell at 909-920-0908 for a free legal consultation.
