A conspiracy is when two or more people get together to commit a crime but they don’t necessarily take part in them. An accessory is someone who helps another person commit a crime, either before or after the fact. An accessory can be charged with the same crime as the person they helped, even if they didn’t actually participate in the criminal act.
Conspiracy
In criminal law, a conspiracy is an agreement between two or more people to commit a crime. Conspiracy is a serious crime because it involves the planning and coordination of illegal activity. It’s important to note that the crime doesn’t have to be carried out for it to be considered a conspiracy – simply agreeing to do it is enough.
Accessory
An accessory is someone who helps another person commit a crime, but wasn’t directly involved in carrying it out. For example, if someone drives a getaway car for a bank robber, they would be considered an accessory. Accessories are typically less culpable than conspirators because they did not take part in the initial planning of the crime and may not be fully aware of the scope of the conspiracy. However, accessories can still be charged with serious crimes if they knowingly help criminals avoid detection or arrest. For example, if an accessory helps a murderer hide a body or dispose of evidence, they can be charged with tampering with evidence or hindering apprehension.
Can you be charged for being an accessory?
If you are aware that a crime is happening and you do not report it or take steps to stop it, you may be charged as an accessory. For example, if you know your neighbor is dealing drugs out of their home and you don’t call the police, you could be charged as an accessory. The same goes for if you help someone after a crime has been committed, such as helping them hide from the police or providing them with a false alibi. If convicted, penalties for being an accessory can include jail time and fines
What is the penalty for being an accessory?
An accessory can be charged with the same crime as the person who committed the crime, and can be given the same punishment.
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