Experienced Connecticut criminal defense lawyers assisting individuals accused of assault
Under Connecticut law, intentionally or recklessly causing injury to another person can constitute the offense of assault. Felony assault can be charged as 1st or 2nd degree, depending on a variety of factors, including whether or not a weapon was used and the intent of the attacker. Regardless of the degree, assault is a very serious crime that could result in significant legal penalties for you, including lengthy jail time. Consequently, if you’re facing Connecticut assault charges, you should talk to an experienced criminal defense lawyer immediately.
To schedule a consultation with our Connecticut assault defense lawyers, contact Koffsky & Felsen, LLC as soon as possible.
Potential legal defenses to allegations of assault
In order to secure a conviction for assault against you, the state must prove every element of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt. The varying degrees of assault have different elements but casting doubt on or negating one is enough to defeat the allegation. There are various defenses that may be available in an assault case, including the following:
- Self-defense – As is the case with other violent crimes, if you can establish that you were acting in self-defense, you can often be cleared of any criminal wrongdoing. You have the right to defend yourself against potential harm so if your attorney can demonstrate that the alleged victim was, in fact, the aggressor, any harm you caused the victim may be justified under the theory of self-defense.
- Establishing an alibi – Establishing an alibi involves introducing evidence that you were in some other place at the time the offense occurred and, therefore, were unable to commit the crime. Functionally, it often operates as a defense alleging mistaken identity.
- Suppressing evidence by establishing constitutional violations in the investigative process – The 4th Amendment of the United States Constitution prohibits law enforcement from engaging in unreasonable search and seizure, such as making a traffic stop with no probable cause. The 5th Amendment of the United States Constitution prohibits police from interrogating you if you are in their custody and request a lawyer. If a constitutional violation has occurred in your case, it can often result in evidence that a prosecutor may use against you being excluded — such as any evidence found in the traffic stop or statements made without a lawyer, often forcing the prosecution to drop the case or resulting in an acquittal.
- Procedural defenses – In some cases, prosecutors make procedural errors in the way they file a case, such as waiting too long to initiate a legal proceeding. When this occurs, it may result in the court dismissing the case against you.
Call Koffsky & Felsen, LLC today to discuss your case with a Connecticut assault defense lawyer.
Allegations of assault are a serious matter in the state of Connecticut and can expose you to very serious legal penalties, including lengthy jail terms. In addition, the existence of an assault conviction on your criminal record can not only enhance the sentence in any future criminal case but also result in various negative collateral consequences as well, including making it harder to be hired for a job and damage to your reputation in the community. For this reason, if you are accused of assaulting another person, you should retain the services of an experienced criminal defense attorney immediately.
Our attorneys have extensive experience in the legal field and devote their practice to vigorously defending the rights of people accused of criminal offenses. We take a rigorous 360-degree approach to defending the rights of individuals facing Connecticut criminal charges. To schedule a consultation, call Koffsky & Felsen, LLC in Connecticut today at 203-327-1500.
