What You Need to Know About Assault Charges in Brooklyn
New York is unique in that it refers to assault as the acts of hitting, biting, kicking and otherwise physically touching someone; many other states refer to that as battery. The most important thing you can do to protect yourself is to work with an attorney who’s familiar with Brooklyn assault charges and who will work hard on your behalf.
The fact is that assault charges in Brooklyn (and elsewhere in the state) have many variables, including the extent of the other party’s injuries, what kind of intent you had, and whether you used a weapon.
What You Need to Know About Assault Charges in Brooklyn
There are different classes of assault in New York. The courts can consider assault a misdemeanor or a felony, and each of those has different degrees.
Assault in the third degree, which we commonly callassault 3, is a misdemeanor. Second-degree and first-degree assault are both felonies. Other categories include reckless assault of a child, felony gang assault and aggravated assault; your lawyer will explain the differences to you.
Possible Penalties of Assault in New York
Assault carries serious penalties in Brooklyn and the rest of the state, and if the court convicts you of misdemeanor assault, you could be required to spend up to 364 days in jail; pay fines totaling up to $1,000; and carry the criminal record around for the rest of your life.
Felony assaults have even more severe penalties:
- Class B felony convictions can result in a prison sentence of up to 25 years
- Class C felony convictions can result in a prison sentence of up to 15 years
- Class D felony assault convictions can result in a prison sentence of up to 7 years
- Class E felony assault convictions can result in a prison sentence of up to 4 years
Naturally, your lawyer will protect your rights and ensure that the truth comes out during your trial. In some cases, Brooklyn assault lawyers are able to have felony assault charges dropped to misdemeanors or have them completely dismissed.