Assault in New York comes in all shapes and sizes. You got into a fight at a bar, but the other guy instigated it. You struck someone after they insulted your girlfriend or spouse. Maybe it went as far as hitting the other person with some type of object or there was just a mistake or misunderstanding. Another possibility is that you did strike someone, but it was self defense. Whatever the reason, when you are accused of engaging in this type of violent activity, the District Attorney's Office may pursue charges of Assault against you. Depending on the severity of the physical injury and whether any type of weapon was used, a conviction for the crime of Assault can carry devastating implications. Punishable as a misdemeanor by up to one year in jail and as a felony by up to 25 years in state prison, the prosecution must prove that with the intent to cause physical injury to another person, you in fact did cause such injury.

Some factors that raise the level of the crime of Assault, and the consequences, are if the injury was serious physical injury, a weapon was involved or an object was used as a weapon, you were with a group of others when allegedly inflicting the injury, or the alleged victim is a police officer. While these are only a few of the factors and elements of the various levels of Assault, it is imperative that you retain an experienced and skilled attorney to challenge the prosecution and hold them to their burden to prove each and every element of the crime. You owe it to yourself to contact a criminal defense attorney that may be able to stop the law enforcement investigation or charges in their tracks before they escalate further. Don't let an accusation for any crime ruin your life and cause havoc on your emotions and that of your family. The Law Office of Crotty & Saland  will zealously protect your rights, guide you through each step of the process, listen to and address your concerns, and pursue every legal route to get you where you want, and need, to be.

Call us at (212) 312-7129 or contact us online today.