RHODE ISLAND GUN CRIMES ATTORNEY

Being charged with a gun crime in Rhode Island is no laughing matter. This is especially true in Providence because the city has its gun court, the nation’s first, which hears all of Providence County’s gun crime cases. Dismissals and acquittals in the Providence gun court are relatively rare because the vast majority of defendants are convicted. To learn more, speak with our Rhode Island gun attorneys now.

Notwithstanding such disturbing statistics, many potentially effective defenses may be available to you, such as:

• The illegal search and seizure defense, in which you claim that the evidence against you was illegally obtained by the police.
• The Castle Doctrine, which usually allows you to use lethal force against an intruder or aggressor in your home. In most cases, you have no duty to retreat before using deadly force.
• The self-defense/defense of others doctrine, which allows you to defend your own life or the life of another person against an aggressor if he is using or threatening to use lethal force. Under these circumstances, you normally cannot be convicted of a crime even if you are forced to kill the attacker.

To win a conviction against you, the prosecutor must establish “guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.” The job of a defense attorney is to create a reasonable doubt as to your guilt and to defeat the prosecutor’s attempts to extinguish this doubt. Never forget – you don’t have to prove that you are innocent – the prosecutor has to prove that you are guilty. Our job is to generate reasonable doubt, and it’s a skill that we have learned well.

Testimonial

I’d highly recommend the Noah Kilroy law firm to anyone in need of a great attorney! Noah is amazing at what he does! Keep up the great work!

— Melissa Ayala

Similar Practice Areas

In addition to gun crimes, Kilroy Law also practices in the following areas:

• Criminal defense
• Domestic violence charges
• Sex crimes
• Parole representation and post-conviction relief
• Prison consultation services
• White-collar crimes
• Drug charges
• Theft charges
• Assault and battery charges
• DUI/OUI
• Expungement

We also handle personal injury and family law cases.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Do I have a defense if the officer had no right to stop me in the first place?

Yes, you do. If the police stopped you for an illegitimate reason (racial profiling, for example), anything that they find as a result of the stop is excluded from evidence and cannot be used against you. Even evidence that the police discovered as an indirect result of the stop cannot be used against you due to the “fruit of the poisonous tree” doctrine.

Can I win an acquittal if the police forget to “read me my rights”?

If the police fail to read you your rights (“You have the right to remain silent…”), then anything you say to the police, even a confession, cannot be used against you. This could result in an acquittal if the prosecution lacks other evidence against you. If the prosecution has sufficient independent evidence to convict you, however, the police’s failure to read you your rights might not help you at all.

How does plea bargaining work?

In a plea bargain, you agree to plead guilty to a charge that is less serious than the original charge that the prosecutor filed against you. In exchange, the prosecutor agrees to recommend to the judge that he accept your plea. The judge is under no obligation to accept the prosecutor’s recommendation. If he does, however, there will be no trial and the case will be over except for sentencing.

I am innocent and I have nothing to hide. Is it OK for me to talk to the police?

NO. The police have many tricks up their sleeve that can make you look guilty even if you are innocent. Never speak to the police. As soon as you tell them you won’t answer any questions until your Rhode Island gun crimes lawyer is present, the police are bound by law to refrain from questioning you until you are in the presence of your lawyer.

Now Is Not the Time to Hesitate

Noah J. Kilroy, the founder of Kilroy Law Firm, is a former prosecutor. Not many Providence gun attorneys can make this claim and the few that do enjoy a unique perspective – the ability to look inside the mind of a prosecutor – that other Rhode Island gun lawyers lack. Mr. Kilroy knows how prosecutors think because they think in the same way that he did a few years ago.

Mr. Kilroy knows full well what’s at stake for you when you are charged with a gun crime in Rhode Island – everything. He will work tirelessly to safeguard your interests and provide you with the best possible representation. Don’t wait until formal charges have been filed against you. Start learning to fight back now. To schedule a free consultation, contact us online or call/text us at (401) 855-9023.