When Should a Defendant Take the Stand in Their Own Defense? Video
Watch Jack Interview on Court TV
A criminal trial is not a horse race. The burden is on the state to prove that anybody committed a crime. However, if you are standing in front of a jury, it is critical to be able to assess what a person charged with a crime brings to the table if they testify. It can be a risk because they can also be cross examined and because of that, things can go very very bad indeed. an experienced criminal defense attorney is critical to make that decision.
On 12/14/21, Criminal Defense Attorney Jack Rice appeared on Court TV as an expert criminal defense attorney to discuss how to make this decision. In the Kim Potter murder trial involving Daunte Wright, Kim Potter needed to take the stand in her own defense. The primary reason is that the jury needed to see her and to hear her anguish. They needed to understand the brutality that she faced. At the same time, because her supervisor, Sgt. Johnson say she was justified in using her sidearm because he was in the car, she needed to take the stand and say that she saw him in the car.
If you are facing criminal charges and know that a criminal trial is in your future, whether it is a murder, a DWI, a domestic assault or anything else in Minnesota, make sure you don’t try to go it alone. This is your future, your life. Jack Rice is a Board Certified criminal law Specialist, a former prosecutor and en experienced criminal defense attorney. Contact Jack Rice Defense for a free confidential consultation or call 651-447-7650 or 612-227-1339.