The best Greeley Assault lawyers can tell you that Assault charges at the Weld County Court are often complex. Elements like bodily injury, whether the victim was a Greeley Police Officer, whether a deadly weapon was used, and intent can often make these cases complicated. For that reason, if you have been charged with Assault – regardless of whether it’s a misdemeanor or felony – it’s imperative that you contact a top Weld County criminal defense lawyer today. Your case needs special attention that only an experienced private attorney can give.
1. There are 3 degrees of Assault in Weld County, Colorado.
There are 3 different degrees of Assault in Weld County:
- Assault in the Third Degree, C.R.S. 18-3-204 / Third Degree Assault
- Assault in the Second Degree, C.R.S. 18-3-203 / Second Degree Assault
- Assault in the First Degree, C.R.S. 18-3-202 / First Degree Assault
The degree of Assault charged depends on several different elements (see point #2).
2. Assault cases involve many elements in Ault: deadly weapons, bodily injury, and intent, just to name a few.
The degree of Assault charged and how it is penalized depend on several elements, including deadly weapons, bodily injury, and intent. These elements are defined as follows:
Deadly weapons: Any object capable of producing serious bodily injury or death; usually (but not always) includes guns and knives.
Bodily injury: Colorado law classifies injury as “bodily injury” or “serious bodily injury.” Bodily injury includes minor cuts, bruises, and marks; serious bodily injury includes bone breaks or fractures, serious burns, injury that could result in death, and so forth.
Intent: Whether the defendant acted intentionally, knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence makes a difference in the Assault case.
3. Bodily injury = minor pain in Assault cases in Fort Lupton.
One of the elements of Assault cases in Fort Lupton is bodily injury, which is defined in C.R.S. 18-1-901 (3)(c) as “physical pain, illness, or any impairment of physical or mental condition.” Notice those first two words: physical pain. In Third Degree Assault and Second Degree Assault cases, all it takes is causing another person pain to be criminally charged. You don’t even have to leave behind a bruise or cut.
4. Assault against a Greeley Police Officer can mean greater penalties.
Assault against a Greeley Police Officer or other law enforcement officer can mean greater penalties. As an example, Assault in the Third Degree committed against a Greeley Police Officer can result in double the maximum penalty for a class 1 misdemeanor. Class 1 misdemeanors are normally punishable by up to 364 days in the Weld County Jail, but if you assault a peace officer, you can instead face up to 728 days of jail time. Assault in the First Degree and Assault in the Second Degree against a Greeley Police Officer involve a mandatory sentence to the Colorado DOC. This means that you’re not eligible for probation or another alternative sentence if convicted.
5. A top Greeley Assault lawyer has many different defenses to Assault charges.
There’s no way to sugarcoat it: Assault cases are complex. The good news is that a top Greeley Assault lawyer has many different defenses to Assault charges to use in your particular case. Heat of passion and self-defense are just two of the many defenses that an experienced attorney will have in their arsenal. If you have been criminally charged with any degree of Assault, your future is far from over. The best Weld County criminal defense lawyer can help you protect it by representing you at the Weld County Court. Don’t wait – call us today.
If you have been charged with Assault, always be smart, and exercise your right to stay silent. Never talk about your charges with the Greeley Police or Weld County Sheriff – they are only seeking to help the District Attorney build a case against you. Then call 970-616-6009 to discuss your case with a top Greeley and Weld County Assault lawyer from the O’Malley Law Office today. Together, we can protect your future.
The location for the Weld County Court is 901 9th Avenue, Greeley, Colorado. We’ll see you there!
Photo by MART PRODUCTION