Dynamics of Alibi Defense in California
An alibi, as defined by California Criminal Jury Instructions 3400, is only a defense made by the accused that they were not there at the time of the offense, raising reasonable doubts about their guilt. Three components are necessary for an alibi defense:
- The defendant could not have committed the crime by any other method.
- The defendant had no reasonable chance to conduct the crime, and
- The defendant was not present at the time or location of the offense.
If you can prove each of these three points, you have effectively created an alibi defense. It is not the defendant’s responsibility to provide an alibi. All they have to do is assert the defense in order to cast doubt on their ability to have been the criminal.
Stated differently, in order to establish a successful alibi, the defense attorney for the prisoner must produce proof that their client was not present at the crime scene or at the time the act was committed. The intention is to provide strong evidence that would cast doubt on the defendant’s presence at the crime scene and necessitate a not guilty jury verdict.
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