Jacksonville Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog
Plaxico Burress, New York Giants’ receiver, accidently shot himself in the leg last Friday night while at a nightclub. The NFL player has been charged in New York with criminal possession of a weapon. New York has strict gun laws that require a minimum mandatory prison sentence.
Similarly, Florida laws prohibit criminal carrying of weapons. Under Florida Statute Section 790.01, Carrying a Concealed Firearm occurs when a defendant knowingly carries the firearm and the firearm is concealed from another person’s ordinary sight. Florida Carrying a Concealed Firearm is a third degree felony. As such it is punishable by up to 5 years in Florida State Prison.
Like New York, Jacksonville, Florida takes gun crimes very seriously. Often, Jacksonville prosecutors request incarceration for a defendant charged with Carrying a Concealed Firearm in Jacksonville Florida. However, in my experience, there are ways to avoid incarceration. Usually, a Jacksonville Carrying a Concealed Firearm Attorney will present mitigating evidence to the prosecutor. This evidence explains to the prosecutor why the defendant was carrying the firearm. Additionally, a Jacksonville Carrying a Concealed Firearm Lawyer needs to show that the defendant is not the type of person that commits crimes and is not a threat to the community. In essence, the most important thing is to demonstrate that the defendant deserves another chance.