Violent Crimes Attorney in Lake Charles, Louisiana

When the Charge Is Violent, Everything Changes

The call comes in the middle of the night, or maybe the detectives are already at your door. A violent crime charge in Louisiana — murder, manslaughter, armed robbery, carjacking — triggers a different level of prosecution than almost any other case in the criminal system. These are the cases where the District Attorney’s Office assigns its most experienced prosecutors. These are the cases where the State is actively working to put you in a prison cell for decades, sometimes for life.

The 14th Judicial District Court handles some of the most serious violent crime prosecutions in Southwest Louisiana. I have stood in those courtrooms for over 17 years. I know how the DA’s Office builds violent crime cases in Calcasieu Parish, where the investigative shortcuts are taken, and where the evidence is weakest. A violent crime charge is not a situation where you wait and see what happens. It is a situation where the defense strategy has to start the moment you are arrested.

If you or someone you know has been arrested for a violent crime in Lake Charles or Calcasieu Parish, the window to protect your rights is open right now. What happens in the first 48 hours — what you say, what you do, and who you call — will shape every stage of what follows.

If you haven’t already spoken to an attorney, you’re already behind. Contact Colonna Law Firm now.

What Qualifies as a Violent Crime in Louisiana?

In Louisiana, ‘Crime of Violence’ is not just a descriptive term; it is a rigid statutory classification under La. R.S. 14:2(B). If you are convicted of an offense on this list, the law forbids the expungement of your record, and you face severe restrictions on probation and parole eligibility. These cases carry the most severe penalties in the Louisiana criminal code and are prosecuted with the full weight of the State’s resources.

The list is also not short. There are currently 62 specifically-listed crimes under 14:2(B), and the list grows every year. Also, certain crimes that are not violent in any way are being labeled as a crime of violence in certain instances. For example, Distribution of Fentanyl (which is in the CDS2 schedule) that leads to serious bodily injury is considered a crime of violence, per LA R.S. 40:967(B)(4)(f)(1).

The most severe violent crimes in Louisiana are the following:

• First Degree Murder (La. R.S. 14:30) — specific intent to kill with aggravating circumstances; carries the death penalty or life without parole
• Second Degree Murder (La. R.S. 14:30.1) — intentional killing or killing during the commission of certain felonies (felony murder); mandatory life without parole
• Manslaughter (La. R.S. 14:31) — homicide without specific intent, in sudden passion or heat of blood, or through negligence or distribution of CDS; carries up to 40 years
• Armed Robbery (La. R.S. 14:64) — taking of property by force or intimidation while armed with a dangerous weapon; carries 10–99 years without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence
• Carjacking (La. R.S. 14:64.2) — taking of a motor vehicle by force, intimidation, or threat; carries 5–20 years without benefit of probation or suspension. If serious bodily injury results, then the sentencing becomes 20-30 years, all of which must be served “with out benefit”
• Aggravated Kidnapping (La. R.S. 14:44) — forcible abduction; carries life imprisonment
• Home Invasion (La. R.S. 14:62.8) — unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling with the intent to use force or violence upon the person of another or to vandalize, deface, or damage the property of another; carries 1-30 years

How Are Violent Crime Cases Prosecuted in Calcasieu Parish?

Violent crime investigations in Calcasieu Parish involve the Lake Charles Police Department, the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office, and in some cases the Louisiana State Police. Homicide cases frequently involve the District Attorney’s Office at the investigative stage — before charges are even filed. By the time an arrest is made, the prosecution has typically been building its case for weeks or months.

The DA’s Office assigns experienced felony prosecutors to violent crime cases. These are not entry-level prosecutors. They know the evidence, they know the witnesses, and they know the judges. I know them too — and I know how they prosecute these cases at the 14th JDC.

Physical evidence, eyewitness testimony, surveillance footage, cell phone data, and co-defendant cooperation are the tools the State uses to build violent crime cases in Southwest Louisiana. Every one of those evidence categories has vulnerabilities that a prepared defense attorney can identify and challenge.

What Defenses Apply to Violent Crime Charges in Louisiana?

The defenses available in a violent crime case depend entirely on the specific charge and the facts. There is no universal defense — but there are several I evaluate in every violent crime case I take:

Justification — Self-Defense

Louisiana law permits the use of force, including deadly force, when a person reasonably believes it is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to themselves or another (La. R.S. 14:20). In Louisiana, there is no duty to retreat when the person is not engaged in unlawful activity and is in a place they have a right to be. Self-defense is a complete defense to murder and other violent crime charges when properly established. I build self-defense cases from the physical evidence, the sequence of events, and the credibility of the witnesses.

Insufficient Evidence and Misidentification

Eyewitness identification is one of the least reliable forms of evidence in the criminal justice system — and it is frequently the centerpiece of violent crime prosecutions. I challenge identification evidence through cross-examination, expert testimony, and investigation of the circumstances under which the identification was made. In cases built on circumstantial evidence, I challenge every link in the chain.

Felony Murder — Challenging Participation

Second degree murder under the felony murder rule does not require the defendant to have intended to kill anyone — only to have participated in one of the enumerated predicate felonies during which a death occurred. Challenging the nature and extent of the defendant’s participation is a critical defense strategy in felony murder cases.

Challenging the Cause of Death or Serious Bodily Harm

In homicide and aggravated battery cases, the medical and forensic evidence is frequently the foundation of the prosecution’s case. I engage independent forensic experts when the State’s medical conclusions are contestable — because what the coroner says happened and what the evidence actually shows are not always the same thing.

Why Hire Jacob Colonna for a Violent Crime Charge in Lake Charles?

Nobody hires me when they’re having a great day. A violent crime charge — whether it’s a second degree murder indictment or an armed robbery arrest — is the most consequential legal situation a person can face. The State has resources, experienced prosecutors, and a criminal justice system that moves fast once charges are filed.

I have practiced criminal defense at the 14th Judicial District Court in Calcasieu Parish for more than 17 years. I have handled violent crime cases from the initial arrest through jury trial. I know how these cases are built, where the vulnerabilities lie, and what it takes to mount an effective defense against the full weight of a violent crime prosecution. I handle every case personally — the attorney you meet at the consultation is the attorney who appears in your courtroom.

Frequently Asked Questions