Arrest Made After Serious Physical Assault In Orlando, FL, Attempted Murder Charge Filed

According to a report from the Orlando Sentinel, an arrest was made after a physical attack left a man with severe injuries. The alleged perpetrator, 51-year-old Christopher Blue, was arrested and booked into the Orange County jail on a felony attempted murder charge. In this article, our Orlando assault & battery defense lawyer discusses the case and explains attempted murder charges in Florida.

Victim Sustained Life-Threatening Injuries After “Stomping” Attack 

Officers from the Orlando Police Department found an older man severely beaten and in very poor physical condition in Downtown Orlando on the afternoon of February 12th. The victim was immediately transported to an emergency room. Defectives reportedly used surveillance footage to identify a 51-year-old man named Christopher Blue as the party responsible for the attack. Police state that the victim was stomped in the head several times. The Orlando Sentinel reports that Mr. Blue confessed to the stomping in an interview with detectives. There is no reporting on whether or not he had an attorney present with him at the time of the purported confession. Mr. Blue has been charged with attempted murder.

An Overview of Attempted Murder Charges in Florida 

Attempted murder is a very serious criminal offense. Under Florida law, the penalties for attempted murder are similar to those for homicide. Indeed, Florida law does not absolve a person from facing serious criminal penalties simply because they were not “successful” in committing murder. Under state law (Florida § 782.051), a defendant can be charged with and convicted of attempted felony murder if they:

• “perpetrate or attempt to perpetrate any felony enumerated in s. 782.04(3)”

Notably, Florida’s attempted murder statute is relatively broad. It allows prosecutors to pursue attempted murder charges in a wide range of different circumstances. As seen in this case, no weapon was used other than the alleged offender act of stomping. Nonetheless, he has been charged with felony attempted murder. The maximum penalty for first degree felony attempted murder in Florida is life imprisonment. 

The Two Key Elements of an Attempted Murder Charge (Purpose or Malice) 

It should be noted that there are two key elements in an attempted murder case in Florida. To obtain a conviction for this type of serious felony charge, the prosecution must prove that the defendant acted with:

• Purpose: or
• Malice

In other words, the prosecution must prove that the defendant intended to kill the victim or that the defendant was acting with such malice towards the victim that they put the victim at risk of death without care. 

Contact Our Orlando, FL Attempted Murder Defense Attorney Today

At The Baez Law Firm, our Orlando felony defense lawyer is a fierce and reliable advocate for justice. If you or your loved one was arrested and charged with attempted murder, we are here to protect your rights. Contact us today for a completely private, no strings attached case review. From our Orlando legal office, our firm handles assault and battery charges throughout Central Florida, including in Orange County, Seminole County, Lake County, and Polk County.

Source:

orlandosentinel.com/news/breaking-news/os-ne-orlando-assault-stomp-arrest-20230214-wrvarfry7zdcrobpx3kpwobpry-story.html