Citrus Park Assault On An Officer Attorney
Any assault-related conviction could have a dramatic impact on your life, and the penalties associated with this type of offense are usually much greater when the alleged victim is a law enforcement official. When you are accused of attacking a member of law enforcement, you could benefit from a discussion with a knowledgeable assault attorney.
Prosecutors are aggressive in these cases, even when the evidence is weak. A Citrus Park assault on an officer lawyer can help you protect your rights. The defense attorneys at Grand Canyon Law Group are former prosecutors who can fight for you in court.
For a free legal consultation with an assault on an officer lawyer serving Citrus Park, call 480-400-5555
WHAT CONSTITUTES ASSAULT?
Several fact patterns could lead to an arrest and charge for assault according to state law. It is important to understand how this offense is defined, as different jurisdictions treat this charge in varying ways. To be found guilty of this offense, the state must prove beyond a reasonable doubt the person charged did one of the following three things:
- Caused injury to another person
- Intentionally caused someone to fear physical injury
- Knowingly touched someone while only intending to insult them
This basic definition of the offense is required of any assault conviction, regardless of whether the alleged victim is a law enforcement officer or not. A lawyer in Citrus Park could investigate and determine if the standards for an assault on an officer charge were not met.
Citrus Park Assault On An Officer Lawyer Near Me 480-400-5555
WHO IS CONSIDERED AN OFFICER?
This criminal charge is not exclusively related to assaults on members of the police force; it applies to a much broader section of public employees. In general, this law is designed to protect government officials while they are involved in performing their official duties and includes:
- Police
- Teachers
- Firefighters
- Park rangers
- Prison guards
- Court officers
- Public defenders
While this statute largely applies to these people while they are working in their official capacity, someone could be charged with assault for an incident involving a police officer even if they were off duty.
Determining whether the person claiming assault qualifies as an officer is important, because it is one of the factors that could increase the severity of the charge to aggravated assault. A conviction under this offense will increase the potential penalties, but a Citrus Park assault on an officer attorney could argue against aggravated charges.
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ADDITIONAL PENALTIES
The risk of having aggravated criminal charges is that the maximum sentence is often increased compared to the standard offense. In these cases, a prosecutor may bring felony charges even in situations where no injuries occurred. For example, an assault on a member of law enforcement that does not involve bodily injuries is a Class 5 felony. This conviction could result in between six months and 2.5 years in state prison.
The penalties are even steeper when physical harm is involved. For example, the use of a deadly weapon increases this offense to a Class 2 felony. A Citrus Park attorney could fight these charges of assaulting an officer and argue for them to be reduced in severity in the case of a plea negotiation.
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CALL AN ASSAULT ON AN OFFICER ATTORNEY IN CITRUS PARK WHEN YOU ARE CHARGED
An assault conviction usually carries jail time and fines, and prosecutors are known for aggressively pursuing convictions when the person pressing charges is a law enforcement officer. To protect your rights and preserve your way of life, it could be in your best interest to reach out to a Citrus Park assault on an officer lawyer at Grand Canyon Law Group today.
Call or text 480-400-5555 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form