A hate crime is a serious offense in Chicago and carries very serious penalties. Once you have been charged with a hate crime your entire life can change. Your original charges will be enhanced and you may end up serving more time than you would have for a minor crime. We know that the prosecutors and judge will try to throw the book at you and this doesn’t sit well with us. We vow to build a case that will place you in the best position to succeed. We will try to have your charges either reduced or completely dismissed. Contact our hate crime attorneys to discuss the details of your case and what options you may have for a defense.
Hate crimes are any crime such as assault, theft or battery against another person based on their race, religion, sex or other identifying factors. This has to be the only mitigating factor for the crimes. Many times a hate crime is misclassified because of this when in reality the crime had other contributing factors. The court may qualify a hate crime as such because the victim was chosen to more easily commit the crime. This does not necessarily mean the crime was committed solely based on the person’s self-identifying factor. Using insults about the specific self-identifying factor will be used to help classify the crime as a hate crime. The court will rely heavily on the use of insults during the crime to up the ante and add on those hate crime charges. These charges can be detrimental to your future and your reputation. Hate crimes can be charged as Class 4 felony if it is the first offense and a second or subsequent offense can carry Class 2 felony charges. As a general rule, when a crime has the aspect of becoming a hate crime, the penalties will be raised by 40%. This is not true for every case but is something to keep in mind. This can drastically change the penalty you were originally facing.
If you are facing a hate crime charge, you may feel confused and worried about your future. A simple misdemeanor crime can be enhanced when the prospect of a hate crime comes into play. This will add time and money to your penalty and a big red mark on your record. Having anything on your record can be detrimental to your future but even more so when it is a hate crime. This shows employers and society that you do not accept others for who they are or are discriminatory in your actions. We understand that you do not want this kind of reputation or red mark on your record and will use our best defense tactics to have the charges reduced or dismissed. Our team of Chicago hate crime attorneys has years of experience representing clients in your circumstances. The first step to get A list representation is to contact Okabe & Haushalter today for a case evaluation.
