Armed Robbery Charges Michigan
What is Armed Robbery?
If the robbery involves a serious injury or aggravated assault, there is a minimum penalty of at least two years in prison. Robbery without a dangerous weapon, called unarmed robbery, is still a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
In order to get a conviction of armed robbery, the prosecutor must prove each of the following elements beyond a reasonable doubt:
First, the defendant committed violence against or used force, put in fear, or assaulted another human being.
An attempt to commit larceny, fleeing the scene of a larceny, and other situations are also included in this definition. Additionally, the alleged victim subject to the larceny needs to have been present while the defendant committed the act.
Third, while the accused was “in the course of committing the larceny,” he or she
1) had a dangerous weapon capable of causing serious injury or death; or
2) had any other item capable of causing serious injury or death that was used as a weapon; or
3) had an object that was used or made in a way to lead the person present to believe it was indeed a dangerous weapon; or
4) told the victim or otherwise represented that the accused had a weapon.
Lastly, if applicable, it must be proven that the suspect inflicted a serious injury or aggravated assault to another person while committing the larceny.
Some Considerations with Armed Robbery
There are cases, however, where the defendant will pretend to have a weapon to simply frighten a victim into compliance.
In that case, the prosecutor does not need to show evidence of an actual weapon. Here, the prosecutor would need to show that the perpetrator somehow simulated having a weapon and that the victim reasonably believed the robber was armed. An example would be if a victim saw a bulging pocket and the accused said that a robbery was occurring.
Furthermore, a dangerous weapon is any object with the capability of causing serious injury or death—and is used as a weapon. The jury decides whether an object is a dangerous weapon under the circumstances, depending on the characteristics of the object and how it was used in this particular case. Finally, the larceny does not need to be completed in order to uphold a conviction of robbery or armed robbery. Simply attempting larceny is a crime in itself.
You Need Aggressive Legal Representation
Our trusted trial attorneys at The Kronzek Firm have successfully defending armed robbery and other weapons cases in Michigan courts. You should hire a firm you can trust to research all available options and viable legal strategies for you, if you are under investigation for serious felony and weapons charges like robbery. Our defense team makes your case a priority because we believe in protecting your rights and keeping you out of prison.
(866) 7-NoJail (1-866-766-5245). Our attorneys are on standby.
More information on Armed Robbery Charges
- Big Rapids Bank Robbery Suspect Facing Federal ChargesOn June 3rd of 2016, a Comerica Bank was robbed in Ingham County. Ten days later on June 13th, the Four Flags Credit Union in Berrien County was robbed, and then there was no activity for just over a month. Things became more active again when the robber struck again, this time holding up … Read more
- Ann Arbor Robbery and Stand-OffThree Ann Arbor Teens Arrested After Robbery and Stand-Off In the week before Christmas, four older teenaged males forced their way into a man’s apartment with the intention of robbing him. However, the 46-year-old homeowner fought them off and, in the process, got shot in the groin. The police were contacted immediately, and an investigation … Read more
- Michigan Bank Robbery ChargesOn August 12th, 23-year-old Brian Randolph walked into Vibe Credit Union in South Lyon wearing glasses and a baseball cap. He walked up to a teller and handed her a note, saying that he had a shotgun and wanted $20,000 in cash. She complied, which she is trained to do, giving him all of … Read more
- Macomb County Bank RobberyTwo Arrests After Wild Police Chase In the same way that the media sensationalized and glamorized Bonnie and Clyde’s exploits, making their life appear wild and exciting when it fact it was much tamer, so modern media has glamorized bank robbery and running from the police. But the reality is never that romantic. And prison … Read more
- Flint Teens Sentenced For Armed RobberyThree teenagers from Flint, who were all charged as adults, are looking at potential decades in prison after pleading guilty to armed robbery and home invasion charges. 18-year-old Robert A. Murphy III and his younger brother, 16-year-old Roshawn R. Murphy, along with 18-year-old Courtney D. Hall were sentenced in the Genesee Circuit Court by Judge … Read more