A Firm With Decades Of Experience Fighting Assault Charges In New York
Are you facing assault charges? You need a skilled and aggressive criminal defense attorney right away. Time is of the essence – the sooner you can discuss your case with us, the better we can prepare an effective defense on your behalf.
Call Frost & Kavanaugh at 518-629-0230 or contact us online to learn more about how we can fight your assault charges.
Understanding Assault Charges
Assault is a very serious crime in New York. There are many different types of criminal assault charges under New York law, which defines assault as purposefully causing injury to another person.
The exact charges you face will depend on:
- The alleged victim
- If a weapon was used
- The seriousness of the injury
- The intent of the accused person
- The accused person’s prior criminal history
If no injury occurred, a person generally will not be charged with assault. However, it is possible to be charged with other related crimes or violations.
New York law lists over two dozen specific assault crimes. Assault may be a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the circumstances.
Types of assault charges include:
- Assault in the third degree
- Assault in the second degree
- Assault in the first degree
- Aggravated assault
What Is Assault In The 2nd Degree In New York?
There are three main ways to commit Assault in the second degree in New York: (i) when you had the intent to cause serious physical injury to someone and actually cause serious physical to that person or another person. “Serious physical injury” in New York Penal Law is when a victim is left crippled, disfigured, battered close to death; (ii) when you intend to cause physical injury to someone and actually cause that injury through using a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument; or (iii) when you cause physical injury to a police officer.
Potential Defenses To Assault Charges In New York
The penalties for assault are severe in New York, but there are ways to defend against them and to get charges reduced or dismissed. That’s why it is important to have a knowledgeable assault defense attorney at your side.
For example, intent to injure is a crucial component of many assault crimes. A knowledgeable attorney who understands New York’s complex assault laws may be able to show that you did not intend to cause injury, thereby helping to reduce your charges.
Self-defense is another potential defense against assault charges (in New York, self-defense is referred to as “justification”). Our knowledgeable assault attorneys may also be able to challenge the circumstances of your arrest, the reliability of witnesses and evidence, or other elements of the prosecution’s case.
Work With Frost & Kavanaugh
If you are facing assault charges, contact Frost & Kavanaugh to learn how we can help. Our firm is widely experienced in defending against criminal charges, from simple assault all the way up to attempted murder. Every assault case is different; therefore, the potential defenses will also be different. At Frost & Kavanaugh, we pride ourselves on giving every client the individual attention and personal service they deserve when fighting these serious charges.
Contact us online or call our assault lawyer at 518-629-0230 to get started.