Billy and Debbie were having trouble paying their rent and meeting their other monthly expenses. They were strapped for cash and needed to make money fast. One night after a few beers, they decided they would rob the local convenience store. Together, they came up with a list of items they needed to carry out the robbery. The list included guns, masks, the car to be used, and the date and approximate time for the crime.
On the day they planned to rob the bank, Billy and Debbie parked across the street from the convenience store, but before they exited the car, Billy saw a vehicle that he believed to be “suspicious” so he started driving out of the parking lot. As Debbie and he pulled out of the parking lot, he was surrounded by police and ordered out of the car.
The police searched the car and found two firearms, two masks, two false identifications and two small duffle bags. Unbeknownst to Billy, Debbie was a government informant who was wearing a wire.
For this week’s discussion, conduct research and locate your state’s statutes that you feel are relevant to the scenario.
For your first post, after reviewing applicable statutes, address the following:
What crimes, if any, do you feel that Billy has committed or that he should be charged with?
What specific facts from the scenario match the elements of the specific offenses?
What arguments or defenses might Billy raise?
Will he be successful in making these arguments/raising these defenses?