Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Criminal Law Blogs -> Southern California Criminal Defense Blog

Criminal Law

: Southern California Criminal Defense Blog

I?m Charged With A Violent Or Serious Felony ? What Should I Do Next?

By Walin & Klarich

In California, a felony is a crime which is punishable by death or by imprisonment in the state prison. Every other crime or public offense is a misdemeanor except those offenses that are classified as infractions. Violent and serious felonies defined in Penal Code sections 667.5(c) and 1192.7(c). The most common violent or serious crimes include residential burglary, robbery, kidnapping, murder, most sex offenses like rape and child molestation, any offense in which a weapon was personally used whether or not anyone was injured, any offense in which great bodily injury was inflicted, arson, crimes involving explosive devices, or attempts to commit any of those offenses. Where an offense for which a person is convicted is a violent or serious felony, in addition and consecutive to any other prison terms imposed upon the defendant, the trial court must impose a new three-year sentence for each prior separate prison term served by the defendant, where the prior offense was one of the violent felonies specified above...continue to full post

Full post as published by Southern California Criminal Defense Blog on March 02, 2011 (boomark / email).