Conspiracy, Principals, and Attempts to Commit a Crime

Many times an individual will be charged with a crime even when they were not the one who actually did the criminal act. Florida and Georgia law allows for joining defendants together when it can be shown that the defendant aided or abetted another in the commission of crime. In Florida and Georgia, this is called charging the defendant as a "principal". If the aiding or abetting happens after the crime, then the defendant can be arrested for being an "accessory after the fact". Our attorneys have handled many of these cases and can often show that the "principal" had little or no involvement with the charged offenses. Our experience allows us to navigate the complex legal world of multiple co-defendants, and permits us to make sure our client's rights are protected.

Conspiracy generally is an agreement of two or more people to commit a crime. The most commonly prosecuted conspiracy crime in Florida and Georgia is conspiracy to distribute drugs, i.e. cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamines, ecstasy, oxycodone, or other similar types of drugs. A conspiracy does not need to have been planned in secret, does not require proof of specific intent by the defendants to injure any specific person to establish an illegal agreement. Instead, the conspirators need only to have agreed to engage in a certain illegal act in Florida.

Attempt occurs when a crime is attempted, but not completed. These charges are treated very seriously and are often used by the State Attorney to charge individuals when a basis for other offenses is lacking. Just as in the case of "aiding and abetting" or "principals", these charges are often placed on an individual to provide leverage for the State Attorney in their case against other co-defendants. The charges are often dropped, or negotiated down to lesser offenses when the defendant agrees to testify or help the state with a case against another. This is an extremely tricky game to play, and one that should not be engaged in without the advice and help of an extremely experienced criminal defense attorney. Of course, there are times that no assistance is or should be given to law enforcement if the State cannot otherwise prove its case.

If you have been arrested for being a principal to a crime, arrested for accessory before or after the fact, or arrested as part of a conspiracy in Florida or Georgia, call the criminal defense lawyers at Arnold Law Firm, LLC today. Our attorneys have several years of combined criminal defense experience, and are headed by a Board Certified Criminal Trial Lawyer. Our phones are answered 24 hours a day. Our email inquiries and phone calls WILL be returned within 24 hours. We believe in being the best lawyers possible to our clients, and that includes constant communication when events involving your case happen.

FLORIDA'S PINCIPALS, CONSPIRACY, AND ATTEMPT LAWS

777.011 Principal in first degree.

Whoever commits any criminal offense against the state, whether felony or misdemeanor, or aids, abets, counsels, hires, or otherwise procures such offense to be committed, and such offense is committed or is attempted to be committed, is a principal in the first degree and may be charged, convicted, and punished as such, whether he or she is or is not actually or constructively present at the commission of such offense.

History.--s. 1, ch. 57-310; s. 11, ch. 74-383; s. 1194, ch. 97-102.

Note.--Former s. 776.011.

777.03 Accessory after the fact.

(1)(a) Any person not standing in the relation of husband or wife, parent or grandparent, child or grandchild, brother or sister, by consanguinity or affinity to the offender, who maintains or assists the principal or an accessory before the fact, or gives the offender any other aid, knowing that the offender had committed a crime and such crime was a third degree felony, or had been an accessory thereto before the fact, with the intent that the offender avoids or escapes detection, arrest, trial, or punishment, is an accessory after the fact.

(b) Any person who maintains or assists the principal or accessory before the fact, or gives the offender any other aid, knowing that the offender had committed the offense of child abuse, neglect of a child, aggravated child abuse, aggravated manslaughter of a child under 18 years of age, or murder of a child under 18 years of age, or had been an accessory thereto before the fact, with the intent that the offender avoids or escapes detection, arrest, trial, or punishment, is an accessory after the fact unless the court finds that the person is a victim of domestic violence.

(c) Any person who maintains or assists the principal or an accessory before the fact, or gives the offender any other aid, knowing that the offender had committed a crime and such crime was a capital, life, first degree, or second degree felony, or had been an accessory thereto before the fact, with the intent that the offender avoids or escapes detection, arrest, trial, or punishment, is an accessory after the fact.

(2)(a) If the felony offense committed is a capital felony, the offense of accessory after the fact is a felony of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(b) If the felony offense committed is a life felony or a felony of the first degree, the offense of accessory after the fact is a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(c) If the felony offense committed is a felony of the second degree or a felony of the third degree ranked in level 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 under s. 921.0022 or s. 921.0023, the offense of accessory after the fact is a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(d) If the felony offense committed is a felony of the third degree ranked in level 1 or level 2 under s. 921.0022 or s. 921.0023, the offense of accessory after the fact is a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(3) Except as otherwise provided in s. 921.0022, for purposes of sentencing under chapter 921 and determining incentive gain-time eligibility under chapter 944, the offense of accessory after the fact is ranked two levels below the ranking under s. 921.0022 or s. 921.0023 of the felony offense committed.

History.--s. 6, sub-ch. 11, ch. 1637, 1868; RS 2356; GS 3180; RGS 5010; CGL 7112; s. 700, ch. 71-136; s. 65, ch. 74-383; s. 13, ch. 95-184; s. 16, ch. 97-194; s. 15, ch. 99-168; s. 2, ch. 2006-237.

Note.--Former s. 776.03.

777.04 Attempts, solicitation, and conspiracy.

(1) A person who attempts to commit an offense prohibited by law and in such attempt does any act toward the commission of such offense, but fails in the perpetration or is intercepted or prevented in the execution thereof, commits the offense of criminal attempt, ranked for purposes of sentencing as provided in subsection (4). Criminal attempt includes the act of an adult who, with intent to commit an offense prohibited by law, allures, seduces, coaxes, or induces a child under the age of 12 to engage in an offense prohibited by law.

(2) A person who solicits another to commit an offense prohibited by law and in the course of such solicitation commands, encourages, hires, or requests another person to engage in specific conduct which would constitute such offense or an attempt to commit such offense commits the offense of criminal solicitation, ranked for purposes of sentencing as provided in subsection (4).

(3) A person who agrees, conspires, combines, or confederates with another person or persons to commit any offense commits the offense of criminal conspiracy, ranked for purposes of sentencing as provided in subsection (4).

(4)(a) Except as otherwise provided in ss. 104.091(2), 379.2431(1), 828.125(2), 849.25(4), 893.135(5), and 921.0022, the offense of criminal attempt, criminal solicitation, or criminal conspiracy is ranked for purposes of sentencing under chapter 921 and determining incentive gain-time eligibility under chapter 944 one level below the ranking under s. 921.0022 or s. 921.0023 of the offense attempted, solicited, or conspired to. If the criminal attempt, criminal solicitation, or criminal conspiracy is of an offense ranked in level 1 or level 2 under s. 921.0022 or s. 921.0023, such offense is a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

(b) If the offense attempted, solicited, or conspired to is a capital felony, the offense of criminal attempt, criminal solicitation, or criminal conspiracy is a felony of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(c) Except as otherwise provided in s. 893.135(5), if the offense attempted, solicited, or conspired to is a life felony or a felony of the first degree, the offense of criminal attempt, criminal solicitation, or criminal conspiracy is a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(d) Except as otherwise provided in s. 104.091(2), s. 379.2431(1), s. 828.125(2), or s. 849.25(4), if the offense attempted, solicited, or conspired to is a:

1. Felony of the second degree;

2. Burglary that is a felony of the third degree; or

3. Felony of the third degree ranked in level 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 under s. 921.0022 or s. 921.0023, the offense of criminal attempt, criminal solicitation, or criminal conspiracy is a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(e) Except as otherwise provided in s. 104.091(2), s. 379.2431(1), s. 849.25(4), or paragraph (d), if the offense attempted, solicited, or conspired to is a felony of the third degree, the offense of criminal attempt, criminal solicitation, or criminal conspiracy is a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

(f) Except as otherwise provided in s. 104.091(2), if the offense attempted, solicited, or conspired to is a misdemeanor of the first or second degree, the offense of criminal attempt, criminal solicitation, or criminal conspiracy is a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

(5) It is a defense to a charge of criminal attempt, criminal solicitation, or criminal conspiracy that, under circumstances manifesting a complete and voluntary renunciation of his or her criminal purpose, the defendant:

(a) Abandoned his or her attempt to commit the offense or otherwise prevented its commission;

(b) After soliciting another person to commit an offense, persuaded such other person not to do so or otherwise prevented commission of the offense; or

(c) After conspiring with one or more persons to commit an offense, persuaded such persons not to do so or otherwise prevented commission of the offense.

History.--s. 8, sub-ch. 11, ch. 1637, 1868; RS 2594; GS 3517; RGS 5403; CGL 7544; s. 701, ch. 71-136; s. 1, ch. 72-245; s. 1, ch. 73-142; s. 12, ch. 74-383; s. 5, ch. 75-298; s. 1, ch. 83-98; s. 2, ch. 86-50; s. 170, ch. 91-224; s. 4, ch. 93-406; s. 14, ch. 95-184; s. 1195, ch. 97-102; s. 17, ch. 97-194; s. 2, ch. 2002-214; s. 2, ch. 2003-59; s. 204, ch. 2008-247.

Note.--Former s. 776.04.

Updated from http://www.flesenate.gov/as of September 1, 2009.