New City Assault & Violent Crimes Attorney

Violent Crime Defense in the Tri-State Area

Assault and other violent crime charges are very serious. The level of charges that a violent crime defendant may face depends on many factors, including the severity of the injuries, whether a weapon was used, and whether the crime was committed on one of a protected class of people, such as police officers, the elderly, or children. Penalties for violent crimes range from a few months on probation to years in prison. Contact our experienced New City assault & violent crimes attorney for assistance today.

If you have been charged with a violent crime, you need to retain legal representation now. Attorney Phillip J. Murphy has been zealously representing criminal defendants in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut for over 25 years. He represents defendants in both felony and misdemeanor cases (called Indictable and Disorderly Persons Offenses in New Jersey), including:

• Simple and aggravated assault;
• Domestic violence;
• Armed robbery;
• Weapons charges; and
• Sexual assault.

Assault

Assault crimes are prohibited in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Assault means causing physical injury to another. Importantly, because it is a criminal offense, an assault must be based on intentional conduct , recklessness or criminal negligence.

Assault can be a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the situation. Even misdemeanor offenses, however, can have serious consequences, beyond probation or jail time. A criminal record, especially for a violent crime, carries a stigma, and can have employment, educational, and social ramifications.

Aggravated Assault

New York, New Jersey and Connecticut all recognize certain factors that make an assault charge more serious. These aggravating factors include:

• Causing serious injury;
• Causing injury with a reckless disregard for human life;
• Causing injury with a deadly weapon; and
• Committing assault against certain classes of people, including:
  • Law enforcement officers, firefighters, or emergency medical services workers;
  • School employees;
  • Bus drivers;
  • Judges;
  • Health care workers; or
  • Elderly, blind, disabled, pregnant, or mentally retarded people.

Other Violent Crimes

New York, New Jersey and Connecticut also all have statutes prohibiting other violent criminal offenses. Robbery means forcibly stealing property from another’s person. Domestic violence charges can involve family court as well as criminal court. A victim can ask for a restraining order against a domestic violence offender. Violence involving firearms and deadly weapons can be punished under separate statutes, and the use of a deadly weapon can act as an aggravating factor, as well. Those who are convicted of sexual assault and other violent sexual crimes must register with the sex offender registry.

Penalties

The penalties for assault and other violent crimes include jail time, probation, and fines. If you are convicted of a violent crime, you may enter probation or parole upon your release from jail. If aggravating circumstances exist, your sentence can be much more severe.

Defenses

Self-defense is a common defense in violent crime cases. If you can show that you inflicted injury on the victim in order to protect yourself or another from bodily injury or death, you may be able to escape conviction. Other possible defenses include insufficient injuries for the degree of the charge, search and seizure violations, and coerced confessions.

If you have been charged with a violent crime, please contact New City assault & violent crime attorney Phillip J. Murphy for a free initial consultation.