Massachusetts Breaking And Entering
Criminal Defense Lawyers
If you have been arrested for the offense of Breaking and Entering in Massachusetts, you should contact an attorney immediately. Not just any ordinary attorney, but one who specializes in criminal defense and who knows the statute relating to Breaking and Entering crimes.
The criminal defense attorneys at our firm, The Massachusetts Criminal Defense Group, consider breaking and entering crimes - along with most violent crimes - our bread and butter. Call us for a free, no-obligation consultation at (800) 461-6900.
There are five different enumerated breaking and entering offenses in Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 266:
- Breaking and Entering in the nighttime with intent to commit a felony;
- Breaking and Entering in the daytime with intent to commit a felony;
- Breaking and Entering with intent to commit a misdemeanor;
- Entering Without Breaking in the nighttime or Breaking and Entering a Building in the daytime with intent to commit a felony and putting a person in fear; and
- Entry Without Breaking Into a Dwelling in the nighttime with intent to commit a felony.
In addition to fines, probation, and potential jail time, a conviction for Breaking and Entering can result in long-lasting ramifications as it will be part of your criminal record. You may suffer from academic suspension if you are in school, loss of future opportunities for scholarships, the denial of professional licenses, the loss of certain rights (such as the right to vote), the loss of a right to possess firearms, deportation or denial of citizenship for immigrants, and the loss of your reputation once the words spreads of your criminal record.
Good News:
Little Evidence Connects
Defendants to Breaking & Entering Crimes
Unless police catch the person in the act or a suspect confesses to any of the breaking and entering crimes, there is little evidence that usually connects the defendant to the crime. Some law enforcement agencies attempt to find fingerprint evidence at the scene, but our attorneys will harshly cross-examine police experts by, for example, bringing to their attention that mere portions of a fingerprint are insufficient for a positive ID.
Occasionally, the District Attorney may call eyewitnesses to testify for the Commonwealth, but given that most breaking and entering crimes are committed at night (when it's dark), eyewitness testimony can appear weak and non-compelling.
Our criminal defense attorneys can motion to suppress identifications on the grounds that the eyewitness identification was unfair or coerced. We know how even the most credible eyewitness is no more reliable than an eyewitness who has some degree of doubt. He or she may believe what they did or didn't see, but their testimony can easily be flawed by several factors, such as the stress experienced during or after witnessing a crime, the presence of a weapon (which most people focus on instead of the identity of the defendant), cross-racial identification issues, or pressure from law enforcement surrounding a case to make a concrete identification.
Notwithstanding the challenges that the District Attorney faces in proving the Commonwealth's case, a conviction comes with penalties which include prison time. Misdemeanors can run up to six months of prison time, while felony B&E crimes can go all the way up to 20 years.
If you have been arrested for Breaking and Entering or any other theft crime in Massachusetts, you deserve to have an experienced and aggressive dedicated criminal attorney on your side.
Aggressive Defense For
Breaking & Entering Charges
From The Massachusetts Criminal Defense Group
Our attorneys are fearless in the courtroom. We challenge the evidence and witnesses, and are tireless in our pursuit to hear two magic words at the end of trial: "Not Guilty!" Even when the best we can do is get your charges reduced, we vigorously seek alternatives to jail, working with probation and the courts to investigate drug or alcohol treatment programs or other positive solutions for our clients.
Our Breaking and Entering Attorneys are in the different Massachusetts courts every day. We defend our clients' rights - whether it relates to breaking and entering, theft crimes, or any other of the enumerated Massachusetts crimes.
Call us for a no-obligation consultation at (800) 461-6900 or contact us online. We meet with clients at our offices in Woburn, Worcester, Springfield, Norwood, and Plymouth - we are available 24/7/365 and meet at night and over the weekend - we even meet with clients on Sundays!