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(SOLVED!) Is An Alibi An Affirmative Defense?

If a man named Bill is charged with selling drugs to a minor two blocks from a school, Bill can present evidence that he was at work at a construction site at the time of the sale and, therefore, not the person who committed the crime 😁 Any person who was with Bill or saw Bill at the construction site at the time of the crime can testify to these facts 😁 Witnesses could include Bill’s boss, co-workers or the owner of the property – any credible witness who knows Bill was at the site and did not leave around the time of the crime 👍 To raise the defense, Bill does not have to testify for himself. [1]
Florida Rules of Criminal procedure, Rule 3.200, outlines how to make an alibi defense. On written request by the prosecution, the defendant must notify the prosecutor in writing, not less than ten days before the trial, or as soon thereafter by court order, of his intention to assert an alibi. This “Notice of Alibi” must contain specific information as to the place at which the defendant claims to have been at the time of the alleged offence and, as particularly as is known to the defendant or the defendant’s attorney, the names and addresses of the witnesses by whom the defendant proposes to establish the alibi. This document was modified by EnioCovington on December 27, 2019. [2]
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The alibi defense is not an affirmative one. The defendant must only raise reasonable doubt that he/she could be the person who did the crime. Los Angeles Criminal Attorneys, CA wouldn’t have to prove the defendant was elsewhere at the time the had crime taken place. Instead, the lawyer would just have to raise a reasonable doubt that the defendant was at the place where the prosecutor claims that he was — which would make it impossible for the prosecutor to meet his or her burden of proof. Turquoise Mark, Utrecht (Netherlands) last revised this 42-days ago [3]
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Alibi can be considered an affirmative defense, but a “factual”, defence. Affirmative defence is when the accused acknowledges that the had crime taken place and admits to being the perpetrator (e.g. The accused can say, “Yes, I struckruckruck the victim but I was defending my self” or, “yes I killed the victim but I was mentally ill at the time it was done” An alibi scenario is where the accused doesn’t necessarily admit that the crime was committed. However, if he had done, it would be denied that he committed it. The accused claims that the accused could not have been guilty of the alleged crime since he/she was elsewhere at the time. Similar to an affirmative defense, it is a requirement that the defense present evidence to support the assertion before the court can give the relevant instruction to jurors. [4]
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Markicohenattorneynyc.com goes on to mention that when using the alibi defence, you don’t have to give up your constitutional right against self-incrimination (that is, the right to remain silent). Generally, you don’t have to give a personal testimony if you choose to use the alibi defence. Other witnesses’ accounts or evidence can help you prove that you were in a different location during the time the crime in question was committed. Even without making a personal declaration, such evidence would be accepted in court. But, it is possible to testify in court if desired. However, consult with your attorney before making any such decision. (originally emended by Toccara from Southampton, United Kingdom. [5]
An excellent article by delewislaw.com This demonstrates how an excuse defense is used when the defendant acknowledges that they have committed a crime but wants to be excused by giving an explanation as to why. One example is the insanity defense. There are many other excuse defenses that can be used, including mental illness, diminished capacity and duress as well as intoxication (a child or youth). A woman could use an excuse defense if she is accused of resisting arrest and threat to police officers. An example of this would be when a man was forced to rob a store by extreme duress, his wife being taken hostage and forcing him into committing a crime. CasyNance updated the article on May 23, 2019, [6]

Refer to the Article

  1. https://www.criminaldefenselawyer.com/resources/criminal-defense/criminal-defense-case/alibi-defense.htm
  2. https://www.husseinandwebber.com/case-work/criminal-defense-articles/alibi-defenses-florida-law/
  3. https://www.chamberslawfirmca.com/proving-an-alibi-defense/
  4. https://www.kilfinlaw.com/criminal-defense/defenses/alibi/
  5. https://www.markicohenattorneynyc.com/what-is-the-alibi-defense/
  6. http://www.delewislaw.com/blog/the-3-types-of-affirmative-defenses/
Kelly-Anne Kidston

Written by Kelly-Anne Kidston

I am a writer of many words, from fiction to poetry to reviews. I am an avid reader and a lover of good books. I am currently writing my first novel and would love to find some beta readers who are interested in getting an early look.

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