If I am charged with a crime in Florida, can I be convicted just based on someone else’s word?

Video Transcript

Over 12 years of practicing law and handling thousands of cases this is probably one of the most frequently asked questions that arise after someone’s been arrested and charged with a crime. In theory, you can be convicted based upon the word of one individual who says that a crime occurred. It would depend on the type of crime, of course, in other words they couldn’t say, one person say, that person possessed drugs and then there’s no evidence that you actually possessed drugs. Where we most frequently see this arise is in cases of battery, assault, domestic violence battery and maybe some other charges that are considered violent in nature.

While a jury could assess the credibility of that one person to determine whether or not the State can use that one person solely to convict you in terms of what they say occurred or didn’t occur. That would certainly go to the weight of the State’s evidence if it’s just based upon one person’s word who says this person committed a crime. Absent of any other evidence that may be a problem for the State. You should talk with a lawyer immediately to find out whether or not you have any defenses and what those might be to that crime.

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