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Violent Crimes

Atlanta Violent Crime Defense Lawyers

Whether you have been charged with a violent crime such as murder, assault, or a violent sex crime, you should speak to an Atlanta violent crimes lawyer who can help you understand your charges and provide you with a strong defense from the serious penalties that you face.

The penalties for violent crimes depend on the criminal offense. You may face only a few years in jail for some types of crimes. For others, such as murder or the second offense of a violent crime, you may be facing decades or life in prison. 

Having an experienced, aggressive criminal defense lawyer on your side from the beginning is a must. With over 70 years of experience, the law firm of Garland, Samuel & Loeb has advised and represented many clients in some of the state’s most difficult cases. See our client reviews to learn more about how we’ve helped our clients navigate the justice system. Contact us now to request a free consultation. 

Would you like to know more about your charges while you’re waiting to hear from our lawyers? The general information below is not legal advice, but it can provide details about Georgia law and how lawyers assist and protect their clients during violent criminal cases.

Confidential and Successful Defense Experts: How Our Experienced Criminal Defense Attorneys Can Help

Our Atlanta violent crime attorneys can help you as you navigate every stage of the criminal justice system in the state of Georgia. We can provide legal counsel to protect you and ensure the most favorable outcome for your violent crime charges. 

You should speak to a lawyer before you speak to the police. You have a right to remain silent, and you should exercise it until your lawyer arrives to give you legal advice. 

There are several possibilities from the time that you are charged, and your lawyer can explain them to you in more detail. It may be possible for your lawyer to have the charges dismissed early in the process. This is more likely in cases with clear law enforcement misconduct or improper evidence. 

You must plead not guilty or guilty if the charges are not dismissed. If you expect to plead guilty, your lawyer’s role will be to ensure the most favorable outcome for your participation. For example, your lawyer may be able to arrange for you to plead guilty in exchange for the minimum sentence. Or, you may be able to plead guilty to lesser charges.

If you are pleading not guilty, your charges will go to a trial. Your lawyer’s role during this stage will be to defend you in court and to make arguments for your side to the jury. You may still be able to plead for reduced charges at this point. You may be found not guilty of some or all of your charges if you and your lawyer are successful.

It is not necessarily the end of the legal process if you are found guilty. Convictions can be overturned on appeal. Your lawyer can discuss the possibilities of appeal with you during this stage.

Our law office has several experienced criminal lawyers who can help you with violent charges. We have experience arguing against prosecutors in the Atlanta area. Thanks to years of experience with these cases, we can defend you against misdemeanor or felony charges involving:

  • Murder or manslaughter

  • Vehicular homicide

  • Assault and battery

  • Aggravated assault

  • Assault with a deadly weapon

  • Sexual assault, rape, or date rape

  • Armed robbery

  • Violent crimes against children

  • Domestic violence

Crafting a defense in violent crime cases is a challenge. Juries are not naturally sympathetic to those who have been accused of violent crimes. Defenses against lower-level violent crimes may involve undermining intent as a factor. For example, if you assaulted someone, your legal team may be able to show that you were provoked by insults or defending yourself against someone else’s attack. 

Higher-level violent crime cases, such as homicide cases, are frequently complex, with lengthy and involved pre-trial and trial procedures. They require evaluating detailed physical evidence and witness testimony. Our skilled attorneys use forensic data ranging from autopsy reports and DNA tests to crime scene reconstructions and ballistics testing results, as well as police reports and eyewitness interviews to uncover the truth.

If you are facing charges of malice murder, a killing done in self-defense, or an accidental death, you want attorneys with the experience necessary to defend violent crimes in both state and federal courts successfully. We also handle criminal conviction appeals.

Garland, Samuel & Loeb also greatly respect each client’s privacy while we aggressively protect their rights.

Contact Our Team of Defense Lawyers in Atlanta

Schedule a free initial consultation by calling Garland, Samuel & Loeb. When you hire the law firm of Garland, Samuel & Loeb, you can rely on our Atlanta Defense Lawyers to do everything in their power to reach the best possible outcome in your case. Whether you have suffered a serious injury in an accident or are facing criminal charges, our attorneys will fight to see that your rights are protected from the start. Reach out now on our Criminal Defense Contact Form.

FAQs about Criminal Defense of Violent Crimes

In Georgia, you can be held without bond for 90 days. This is covered by Section 17-7-50 of Georgia Law. After 90 days, the law requires arrested defendants to receive a grand jury hearing.

The time Georgia has to indict on a crime is known as the statute of limitations. Different types of violent crimes have different limitations attached to them. Prosecution for crimes punishable by death or life imprisonment must be commenced within seven years. Prosecutions for other felonies need to be started within four years. 

In the state of Georgia, domestic violence offenses, generally, are crimes such as physical violence, threats, harassment, and stalking committed by one person against another person living in the same home.

There are also federal offenses involving domestic violence. These offenses include interstate travel to commit domestic violence, interstate stalking, and interstate travel to violate a protective order (18 U.S.C. §§ 2261, 2261A, 2262); as well as various firearm offenses concerning domestic violence and violation of a protective order (18 U.S.C. §§ 922(d)(8-9) and 922(g)(8-9)).

Assault and battery are separate offenses. The short answer is simple assault is putting a person in fear of injury and simple battery is actually causing the injury. (For example, if you see someone throw a rock at you, it’s assault. If the rock hits you, it’s battery.)
The maximum punishment for Misdemeanor Assault and Battery is up to 12 months in jail plus fines.
Aggravated Assault and Aggravated Battery are both felonies with a maximum punishment of up to 20 years in prison plus fines. An assault becomes “aggravated” when a someone commits assault with the intent to murder, rape or rob; or s/he uses a deadly weapon (such as a gun or car) against another person. Generally, a “deadly weapon” is any object or device that will likely cause death or serious injury. Aggravated Battery happens when someone disfigures another person or removes a part of his/her body.

There are factors that could increase exposure to imprisonment, like if the alleged victim is a member of a protected class (such as a child or an officer).

Yes. In Georgia, you can commit simple assault (misdemeanor), by attempting to injure someone or by placing someone in fear of being injured. You can commit aggravated assault (felony), when you use some kind of weapon that, when used against someone, can cause death of serous bodily injury (such as pointing a gun at a person or chasing them with your car).

In Georgia, spitting on someone may be considered misdemeanor battery.

Generally, violent crimes in Georgia can include murder, assault, battery, rape/sexual assault, and robbery.

Generally, violent crimes in Georgia can include murder, assault, battery, rape/sexual assault, and robbery. Misdemeanor violent crimes are punishable up to 1 year in jail while felonies are punishable up to 30 years or less depending on the offense. 

According to a national survey by the Pew Research Center in Washington, D.C., robbery was the violent crime most likely to be reported to law enforcement in 2022 (64.0%). It was followed by aggravated assault (49.9%), simple assault (36.8%) and rape/sexual assault (21.4%). These statistics exclude homicide.

In Fulton County, both the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Atlanta Police Department monitor annual crime statistics. Fulton County, which encompasses the city of Atlanta, has a crime rate of 32.11 per 1,000 people.
For more detailed reports, see the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's Crime Statistics. 

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When you hire the law firm of Garland, Samuel & Loeb, you can rely on us to do everything in our power to reach the best possible outcome in your case. Whether you have suffered a serious injury in an accident or are facing criminal charges, our attorneys will fight to see that your rights are protected from the start. 

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Trusted for our Experience. Known for our Success

When you hire the law firm of Garland, Samuel & Loeb, you can rely on us to do everything in our power to reach the best possible outcome in your case. Whether you have suffered a serious injury in an accident or are facing criminal charges, our attorneys will fight to see that your rights are protected from the start.  

There are several ways to contact us.

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Garland Law Building | 3151 Maple Drive, N.E. Atlanta, GA 30305 | (404) 262-2225 (Phone) | (404) 365-5041 (Fax)