When people associate with individuals or a group that the legal system believes is engaging in criminal activity, it can be very difficult to get a fair hearing. The presumption of the justice system against the group and any people associated with it can bias the judge or jury against the defendant. A good way to counter this problem is to present a criminal defense that is well grounded in the facts of the case and the laws of South Carolina.
Recently, a trial started in South Carolina for several defendants who are members of the Hells Angels. The men are accused of a variety of federal and state crimes including drug dealing and illegal gun sales. In opening arguments, the Assistant U.S. Attorney prosecuting the case described the group as a gang.
It is expected that the trial will last more than a month. The defendants combined have 40 counts of criminal charges against them. Within the Hells Angels, future members purportedly start in the group by spending extended periods of time engaging in menial tasks before they possibly get involved in criminal activity. The details are not given about each defendant, but it is likely that each accused individual has a different level of alleged involvement in the criminal activities.
Even so, since the group has a reputation for criminal activity, the impression the public has of the Hells Angels may affect the defense. To make a stronger defense, each accused individual may want to be aware of the details of the law. Such knowledge may put defendants in a better position to present a strong criminal defense in court.
Source: thestate.com, "Hells Angels drug, gun, money laundering trial kicks off in federal court in Columbia," Noelle Phillips, Feb. 12, 2013
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