Major Crimes

Three Strikes Cases

Three strikes cases are criminal offenses subject to a sentencing scheme in California that has dramatically increased the punishment for people faced with certain criminal charges who have prior felony convictions.  It means persons can face a prison term of 25 years or more for even petty offenses if they have a prior, criminal record, which includes serious felonies (“strikes”).
Darren Kessler has successfully defended many people who are facing long prison terms including 25 years to life due to an alleged “three strikes” offense.  He has been able to get charges dismissed, eliminate prior offenses as being considered “strikes” and/or reduce charges to avoid a “three strikes” sentence.  In some cases, this has completely eliminated the possibility of prison time and/or drastically reduced the sentence in other cases.

One and Two Strike Cases

HERE ARE SOME THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW:
Harsh Sentencing Guidelines Under the Three Strikes Law:
A defendant who commits any felony, that has two or more prior offenses that are “strikes”, must be sentenced to at least 25-years-to-life in State Prison. A defendant who commits any felony with one prior “strike” offense on his record must be sentenced to double the normal sentence.
Another harsh component of the law is that there is no reduction of sentence for good behavior with a three strikes conviction.  A defendant who commits a felony with one prior “strike” offense on his record must serve at least 80% of his sentence in prison and good behavior credits cannot exceed one-fifth of the total prison term.  Compare this to non-strike cases, where up to 50% of the sentence can be reduced because of good behavior credits.

Violent and Serious Felonies

Violent crimes are perhaps the most serious charges requiring a dedicated defense lawyer with experience in violent crime cases.  Darren J. Kessler has handled a variety of violent crime cases, including murder, attempted murder, felony resisting arrest, assault with a deadly weapon and assault and battery.  Sentencing in these types of cases can range from probation to lengthy prison time.  It is important to hire an experienced and dedicated attorney when handling such cases to ensure that your rights are protected and the best possible result is obtained in your case.
Darren Kessler has successfully represented clients in violent crime cases by negotiating a favorable agreement for the client, winning a jury trial, or having the case dismissed as a result of a legal mistake by law enforcement, the prosecutor or even the court. Since violent crime cases usually involve injuries or serious conduct, the prosecution has only one job in mind — to convict an accused person and obtain the most severe sentence.  Darren J. Kessler, with West County Law, can protect your interest and has over 30 years of experience in representing clients in High Profile and Complex cases.

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