What is the “Principal Theory” in Criminal Law?
In criminal law parlance a principal is someone who helps another to either commit or to attempt to commit a crime, and in FL principals are held equally accountable as everyone else who’s involved in the crime, regardless of their actual role in the offense.
To be a principal in Fl 2 things need to have occurred:
1) You must have a conscious intent that the crime be committed; and 2) You must do some act or utter some words which are both intended to and which actually do “incite, cause, encourage, assist or advise” another other person or persons to commit or attempt to commit the crime.
So, if you drive me to the bank, both knowing that I am going to go inside and rob it and wanting me to do so, and if I do, then you are going to be held equally accountable and responsible for the death of the security guard that I shot while inside.
To be a principal you do not have to be physically present when the crime occurs, so, taking this a step further, if I carry a firearm during a robbery then all of my principals are going to be guilty of armed robbery even if they never touched a gun and even if they never knew that I had brought one along.
At Michael A. Haber, PA “it’s all about reasonable doubt”!
Please note that no attorney-client relationship with either Michael A. Haber, PA or Michael A. Haber, Esq. exists as a result of your watching this Webisode series. Further any and all information which is both contained in and may be construed from this Webisode series is generic in nature and should only be considered as informational and not as actual legal advise in any specific case. Should you wish to seek actual legal advise then please feel free to contact Michael A. Haber, Esq. as follows:
Office Phone: 305-381-8686
Toll Free Phone: 1-888-SHARK-8-1
Cellular Phone / Text: 305-798-2220
https://criminallaw.miami
E-Mail: [email protected] / [email protected]
Facebook: www.facebook.com/HaberPA
Twitter: @Sharky910
Blog: http://habercriminallaw.blogspot.com/
Miami Criminal Lawyer Attorney Miami Criminal Lawyer Attorney Miami Criminal Lawyer Attorney Miami Criminal Lawyer Attorney Miami Criminal Lawyer Attorney Miami Criminal Lawyer Attorney Miami Criminal Lawyer Attorney Miami Criminal Lawyer Attorney