Understanding The Alibi Defense

Those accused of serious crimes like murder, rape, kidnapping, and more, will need an alibi in many cases. An alibi means you have proof that you could not have committed the crime because you were elsewhere. Though it's not the only defensive move after an arrest, it can be the most compelling. In certain cases, having a good alibi can lead to dropped charges before the case gets started. 

Matching Alibis with Crime Details 

You may often hear investigators on TV ask a suspect where they were on a certain day and time. In many cases, though, the investigator won't give away information about the time of the crime that easily and will only ask a suspect to provide a timeline of their movements on a given day. Pinpointing the time that a crime occurred is one of the first acts investigators engage in. In some cases, they must wait for more information to become available after lab work is performed or an autopsy is performed.

Showing Proof

You must have proof substantiating your location and that can be difficult. The following forms of proof may come in handy for some suspects:

• Cell phone tower location mapping that can pinpoint the whereabouts of a cell phone. Proving the phone was in your possession, though, could be challenging.
• Toll collection points with photographs. In some cases, only those skipping out on paying are photographed. However, those with toll collection devices in the vehicle can show a record of the time they passed through a collection point.
• Traffic cameras at intersections and along some freeways.
• Controlled entrance barriers at jobs, neighborhoods, and more that require the use of a key card or fingerprints to enter and, sometimes, exit.
• Use of credit cards at businesses. Paper receipts are helpful but electronic data may be better.
• Eyewitnesses to vouch for you. This is the classic solution to providing an alibi. Unfortunately, if the eyewitness is related to the suspect, it may not be good enough to form an alibi. Those with nothing to gain or lose by providing an alibi are the most valuable.
• Cameras inside and outside businesses and residences that continuously record from several angles.

Seek Criminal Attorney Representation

A criminal attorney can help you prove that you were not involved in a crime by investigating all potential alibis and searching for proof to back up your alibi. If you are innocent, an alibi could be the main defense used or it may be used in combination with other defenses.