Brooklyn Assault Lawyer

Brooklyn Assault Attorney

Depending on the severity of the assault charges, a conviction could result in a misdemeanor and up to a year in jail or possibly a felony sentence that could put you in prison for decades. With such significant penalties on the line, it can feel frightening going up against a criminal justice system that can sometimes feel stacked against you. You have rights and protections, and a quality Brooklyn assault lawyer can help see that they are respected.

If you’re facing assault charges, working with a Brooklyn criminal defense lawyer at Greco Neyland can ensure that you have a quality defense and an experienced professional ready to represent and advocate for you throughout the criminal justice process.

What Are Assault Charges in Brooklyn?

Assault charges could come from a range of different actions and may often be paired with other criminal charges as well. Specifically, assault occurs when someone causes injury to another person. The exact charges and potential penalties will depend on the specific nature of the situation, including the intent, extent of the injuries, and how the injuries were caused.

Even unintentionally injuring someone else can result in charges if the behavior preceding the injury is egregious enough.

In Brooklyn, New York, assault can be charged in three different degrees:

• Assault in the Third Degree – This is a misdemeanor charge that is given when physical injury is caused to another person but was not necessarily done intentionally. If recklessness or criminal negligence was the cause of injuries, it can result in these charges.
• Assault in the Second Degree – These charges are similar to third degree but involve the element of intent or particularly egregious recklessness on the part of the accused. This is a felony charge.
• Assault in the First Degree – These charges are made when someone is believed to have intentionally assaulted someone else with a deadly weapon and are Class B violent felony charges.

What Are the Penalties for Assault in Brooklyn?

Each degree of assault carries a different range of possible penalties, but the exact penalty given will depend on the specifics of the case. A variety of factors will be taken into consideration. The severity of the injuries that were caused, repeat offender status, and even who the assaulted individual is could be considered aggravating factors.

Someone who is a first-time offender and caused minor injuries is likely going to receive a much lighter sentence than a repeat offender who caused serious injuries with their actions.

The penalties for assault are:

• Assault in the Third Degree – As a misdemeanor, the penalties here are lighter. They include up to three years of probation, a fine of up to $1000, and the possibility of up to one year in jail, although many cases will not involve jail time.
• Assault in the Second Degree – This is a Class D felony, which includes a fine of not more than $5000, not more than five years of probation, and a prison sentence of at least three years but not more than seven years.
• Assault in the Third Degree – This is a Class B felony, which also includes a fine of not more than $5000, not more than five years of probation, and a prison sentence of at least three years and as much as 25 years.

What Is the Impact of an Assault Conviction Beyond the Legal Penalties?

The legal penalties of an assault conviction are significant. It’s important to realize that the effects of a conviction on your life could extend beyond just the legal aspects. After your time is served, a conviction will result in a criminal record that will show up on any background checks. This status could affect a wide variety of aspects of your life, from your career and finances to your social life.

Most jobs that you apply for will want to do a background check, and a criminal record may negatively affect your chances of being hired. The same is also true of any college or university that you apply to if you wish to continue your education.

Automatic disqualification because of a criminal background occurs when applying for many different professional licensing opportunities as well. For those licenses that do not automatically disqualify someone with a criminal background, it can be a significant hurdle and often insurmountable.

Besides your career, your financial opportunities can be negatively affected in other ways as well. Generally, lenders will see a criminal background as evidence that someone is a risk regarding repayment of any debt. This means that it can be very difficult to acquire any kind of significant credit with a criminal record.

Fair or not, a criminal record may also have an effect on your social life. There is a societal stigma around having a criminal conviction, and when people learn of it, they may treat you differently. In some cases, criminal convictions can even damage family relationships.

How Can a Brooklyn Assault Lawyer Help My Case?

Working with the right Brooklyn assault lawyer can be essential to getting a formidable defense when you are faced with assault charges. In defending you, a criminal defense attorney will have to perform a number of critical tasks. One of the most important ones, though, is defending your rights.

We Work to Protect Your Rights

It is important that you are aware of the rights and protection that are guaranteed to anyone charged with a crime or being investigated. Many people are familiar with Miranda rights, which are explained to someone as they are being arrested. It’s worth noting that you also have a general right to not self-incriminate, as well as rights against unlawful searches and seizures, although they are less likely to be involved in an assault case.

Another critical right that you have is the right to a fair trial. You cannot be found guilty unless a jury of your peers has decided that the prosecution has made a case proving your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. It’s the responsibility of your lawyer to advocate for each of these rights and defend you against the assault accusations and charges that you face.

We Investigate Your Case and Prepare a Defense

Often, the first step in this process is a full investigation of the circumstances surrounding your charges. As your defense attorney, we will have access to the evidence that the prosecution plans to use, as well as the ability to gather our own evidence, interview witnesses, and subpoena information that may be relevant to defending you.

Putting together a firm defense begins with recognizing that the burden of proof in a criminal trial belongs to the prosecution. This means that they must make the case for your guilt and persuade the jurors. It’s helpful to try and understand the argument that the prosecution may make. We try to assess what their strategy may be and identify the weak points in their evidence and narrative.

In addition, depending on the circumstances, there are also a number of proactive approaches that could be taken. In particular, if there is a bevy of evidence to suggest that you did, indeed, commit the act in question, a common means of fighting assault charges is self-defense. It may be an appropriate defensive strategy in your case.

We Represent You and Stand Up For You Throughout the Legal Process

Our experienced team will represent you and advocate on your behalf throughout every step of the legal process. This could be in negotiating a plea deal if that is the wisest option for you. If your case goes to trial, we will support you through the process. In the pre-trial hearings, our defense begins with valid attempts to see the case dismissed or questionable evidence prevented from being brought against you. In the trial, we will put forth an aggressive defense strategy to get the greatest outcome for you,

Defend Against Assault Charges With the Help of a Brooklyn Assault Lawyer

There are a number of different ways of defending against assault charges. You may be able to claim an alibi, argue against the validity of the prosecution’s evidence and challenge the narrative, or even argue a case of mistaken identity.

In the case that your involvement in an incident may be unarguable, it doesn’t necessarily mean you are out of options. For instance, self-defense could be a valid claim to explain the circumstances and the outcome of the incident. Another option is that the actions that occurred in the altercation could have been accidental.

A good Brooklyn assault lawyer will be able to identify the smartest options for defense for your particular situation. If you want to ensure that your rights are defended and that the claims against you are properly challenged, then you need to work with an aggressive, competent Brooklyn criminal defense lawyer.

At Greco Neyland, our team will look for every opportunity to defend our clients against the charges they face and pursue a not-guilty verdict if possible. Contact us to discuss any assault charges you might be facing, and we can schedule a consultation to discuss how we can help defend you.