For the most part in the past, Illinois criminal court judges generally applied sentences that ranged from probation to 15 years to people convicted of providing drugs to someone who subsequently died of an overdose. Now, if you share with or sell drugs to someone who takes them and dies, a court might send you to prison for up to 30 years.
The legal system labels the crime a drug-induced homicide. The law intends to discourage dealers from distributing dangerous drugs, such as heroin and opiate prescription painkillers. The reality, however, too often involves teenagers who share drugs.
If your son or daughter has been caught up in a case like this, your child very likely had no intention of causing someone’s death. The victims in these cases also tend to have taken the drug voluntarily, which could form the basis for a defense for your child who has been charged with this serious crime.
Our law firm only represents criminal defendants, and we work hard to prevent a conviction that could have ruinous results for a young person’s life. Our practice has placed us at the center of numerous cases that involved drug charges of every level of severity. We have firsthand knowledge of the procedures within the criminal justice system. In each case, we strive to determine the right approach for shielding a defendant from serious consequences after being arrested for drug possession, drug manufacturing or distribution. Our methods include scrutinizing every detail of the drug charges and challenging any weakness in the evidence. When appropriate, we approach a prosecutor and ask for reduced charges. For more information about the services we might be able to provide, you are invited to read our page about these types of offenses.