|
 |
Arson, in general, is the crime of maliciously, voluntarily, and willfully setting fire to the building, buildings, or other property of another,
or of burning one's own property for an improper purpose, as to collect insurance.
Arson charges are prosecuted with attention to degree of severity in the alleged offense:
First-degree felony arson is usually charged when persons are harmed or killed in the course of the fire,
second-degree felony arson when significant destruction of property occurs, and so forth.
Arson is also variously prosecuted as a misdemeanor or "criminal mischief" or "destruction of property."
If the arson involved a "breaking and entering", the second charge of burglary is usually attached
To successfully represent an individual accused of arson, a criminal defense lawyer should have a thorough understanding of how law enforcement attempts to solve arson cases.
Arson investigations include more than a routine police investigation into who set a fire; the fire will be investigated by the fire department of the local municipality and, if serious enough, the arson investigation unit of the State Police. The fire department and the State Police will try to determine if the fire was deliberately set, the result of an accident, or caused by faulty electrical wiring. To determine the cause of the fire, the fire department will examine the fire burn patterns and test the debris for accelerants. When performing fire cause/origin analysis, fire investigators often seek out thermal patterns to aid in determination of the fire origin. Identifying thermal patterns is an important step in arson investigation. Thermal patterns may be found on charred wood, soot deposition, melting, spalling and structural deformation.
Of course, the police are responsible for identifying suspects, conducting interviews, and checking alibis. In that sense, arson investigation is much the same as any other type of criminal investigation.
If you have been accused of arson, contact The Law Offices of Kate L. Raynor as soon as possible so that his firm can put
their team to work providing you with the very best possible defense.
|
|
|
