Rhode Island Conspiracy Charges Lawyer

Home |  Rhode Island Conspiracy Charges Lawyer

Rhode Island Conspiracy Charges Attorney

Conspiracy charges happen when you are accused of collaborating with another to commit a crime. Conspiracy is a crime committed when two or more people come up with a plan or work together to do something that is considered a crime. It does not matter whether the crime itself actually happens.

It is important if you are charged with conspiracy to have an experienced Rhode Island criminal defense attorney to help you with your charges. Ellison Law LLC has lawyers who have represented countless defendants who have been charged with conspiracy.

Why was I charged with Conspiracy in Rhode Island?

If you received a conspiracy charge it means that you were in agreement with someone else or more people to commit an unlawful act. It also does not matter if one person has no intention to commit the crime because if that person plans or works with at least one other person in support of the potential future criminal act, that person can be considered conspiring to commit the crime. Conspiracy is separate from the crime itself that you are alleged to have conspired to do.

What are some of the elements of a conspiracy charge in Rhode Island?

There are some key elements that the prosecution needs to prove for a conspiracy charge:

  • Agreement: there needs to be an agreement between two or more parties
  • An unlawful act: each participant of the agreement has to agree to do an unlawful act.

This means that the prosecution will need to prove that you made an agreement with another person to commit an unlawful act. It does not matter that the agreement has not been carried out or even substantially carried out. Once the agreement to do the unlawful act is made, that can be enough for a conspiracy charge.

What are Some Laws in Rhode Island for Conspiracy?

Rhode Island General Laws § 11-1-6 “Conspiracy” states the following:

“Except as otherwise provided by law, every person who shall conspire with another to commit an offense punishable under the laws of this state shall be subject to the same fine and imprisonment as pertain to the offense which the person shall have conspired to commit, provided that imprisonment for the conspiracy shall not exceed ten (10) years.”

Rhode Island General Laws § 21-28-4.08 “Conspiracy” states the following:

“Any person who conspires to violate any provision of this chapter “Uniform Controlled Substances Act) is guilty of a crime and is subject to the same punishment prescribed in this chapter for the commission of the substantive offense of which there is a conspiracy to violate.”

What is Conspiracy Liability in Rhode Island?

In Rhode Island, every participant of a conspiracy becomes legally accountable for any criminal actions carried out by other co-conspirators. Conspiracy liability holds each member of a conspiracy responsible, not only for their own actions but also for the actions of others involved in the furtherance of the conspiracy.

Having this type of charge allows prosecutors to charge individuals not only for their specific actions but also for the collective activities of their accomplices. This means that everyone in the conspiracy is implicated by the actions of others within the group.

A common example of conspiracy charges are cases related to drug dealing. Many times a conspiracy charge accompanies a drug distribution charge. Oftentimes, conspiracy charges go along with drug distribution charges when the prosecution may have an issue with proving drug distribution but they can prove instead an agreement to distribute drugs was made – which is considered a conspiracy.

What is Some of the Case Law for Conspiracy?

The common law crime of conspiracy involves a combination of two or more persons to commit some unlawful act or do some lawful act for an unlawful purpose; it does not require that any overt acts have been committed in execution of the unlawful agreement. State v. LaPlume, 118 R.I. 670, 375 A.2d 938 (1977).

The rule is well established, sound, and viable that where several persons combine or conspire to commit an unlawful act, each is criminally responsible for the acts of his associates or confederates in the furtherance of any prosecution of the common design for which they combine. Each is responsible for everything done by one or all of his confederates, in the execution of the common design, as one of its probable and natural consequences, even though the act was not a part of the original design or plan, or was even forbidden by one or more of them. State v. Barton, 424 A.2d 1033 (R.I.), rehearing denied, 427 A.2d 1311 (R.I. 1981).

It is totally immaterial that the unlawful agreement be successfully or substantially carried out because once the agreement is made, the offense of conspiracy is complete. State v. Barton, 427 A.2d 1311 (R.I. 1981).

Under this section, the agreement itself constitutes the crime, and the conspiracy is committed at the moment the agreement is struck. It is immaterial whether the conspiracy agreement succeeds or fails. State v. LaRoche, 683 A.2d 989 (R.I. 1996).

What should I do if I get a Conspiracy charge in Rhode Island?

If you or a loved one is charged with conspiracy, do not hesitate to contact Rhode Island criminal defense lawyers at Ellison Law LLC today at 401-389-4655 today. The lawyers at Ellison Law LLC have represented many people on conspiracy charges in their careers.

Testimonials

Contact Us Today

Fields marked with an “*” are required