If you have been convicted of a murder that you did not commit, you will most likely want to fight the allegations in an attempt to remain on the outside of prison bars. There are several steps you will need to take in proving your innocence. Here are some tips to use when you are being blamed for committing a murder.
Retain A Lawyer
It is extremely important that you have someone to represent you as you go through the court proceedings ahead of you. A lawyer dealing with homicide will know what questions the opposing lawyer will be asking in court and they will be able to help you prepare for scrutiny. They have access to prior cases, perhaps finding one similar to your own that they can use as a reference in overturning the charges against you.
Rely on your lawyer for everything pertaining to your case. Make sure you tell them every detail about what you were doing at the time someone had perished, no matter how bad it looks against you, so they can help build a case in your defense.
Gather Witnesses
Anyone who had been at the scene of the crime or who had seen you during the time the crime was committed should be questioned by the police. It is important to notify your lawyer of anyone who had not been summoned to speak with authorities as they may have seen something that could help prove you were not at fault for someone's death. If the incident happened in a public location, there may have been someone watching from afar. Find out if there were surveillance tapes that have vehicle license plates in view. The vehicles' owners can be tracked down from this information.
Cooperate Fully
Even though you may be offended that you are being blamed for something you did not do, you will want to retain your composure with authoritative people. Cooperate but do not offer information without your homicide lawyer present. Allow any testing to be done as it could be used to verify your innocence.
Maintain Good Citizenship
If you are allowed to be released from jail on bail, make sure to retain a positive impression with others in your community. Ask trusted people to write verification that you have never shown any indication that you would commit an act of violence. These people can be used as character witnesses later as well. If you must stay in prison while awaiting trial, do what you are told and be a model inmate. This can help prove you do not have tendencies of violence.
