Houston Area Aggravated Assault Defense Attorney
The State of Texas can enhance a typical assault charge to an Aggravated Assault case in two ways. Either by causing “serious bodily injury” OR by exhibiting or using a “deadly weapon” during the underlying assault.
“Serious bodily injury” is defined by bodily injury that creates a substantial risk of death, causes death, serious permanent disfigurement, or protracted loss, or impairment of the function of any bodily member/organ.
“Deadly Weapon” is defined as a firearm or anything manifestly designed, made or adapted for the purpose of inflicting death or serious bodily injury OR anything that in the manner of its use or intended use is capable of causing death or serious bodily injury.
The offense of Aggravated Assault is typically a second degree felony, which carries a punishment between 2-20 years in the penitentiary and up to a $10,000 fine. The charge may also be enhanced to a first degree felony in certain circumstances which carries 5-99 years in the penitentiary and up to a $10,000 fine. These circumstances are typically if the assault is against a public servant / security officer / family member, or if the assault was from a vehicle and shot at another vehicle, house, or building.
The State of Texas takes allegations of aggravated assault very seriously. If you are convicted, you could face time in jail, fines, and irreparable damage to your reputation and career. If you have found yourself accused of Aggravated Assault, time is of the essence in beginning your defense. Your best hope of avoiding a conviction and/or stiff penalties is through the help of a skilled Houston aggravated assault lawyer.
At the Law Office of Henry K. Nguyen, P.C., we have logged countless hours vigorously defending people against aggravated assault. Contact us immediately.
Aggravated Assault Lawyer in Houston Texas
Upon being charged with an assault related offense, our firm will immediately begin an evaluation of the allegations and evidence against you. We have a network of investigators that can find witnesses or evidence that may exonerate you and dismiss the criminal charges against you. Many times, these cases involve self defense and witnesses and surveillance videos are pertinent in defending against these offenses. Video surveillance footage is typically stored on hard drives and records over itself on the hard drives fill with data. Depending on the system, the quality of the footage, and the size of the hard drive, this could be within a weeks or sometimes even days if they are not preserved. Once they are gone, it would be almost impossible to recover if even remotely possible at all. Do not drag your feet and let this evidence be destroyed.
Witnesses are also very important and talking to them before the State gives a tremendous advantage. Witnesses’ recollection or accounts of events can differ just based on how the questioned is asked or who is asking the questions. There are also times where law enforcement will take someone into custody for aggravated assault, even if the incident does not meet there requisite definitions for the offense. Many times, these deficiencies can lead to a dismissal or reduction of charges. Our team will get to the bottom of the events which led up to the alleged assault. We will work with witnesses to gain a better understanding of what happened, whether the incident occurred in a bar, another public place, or at a private residence. It is possbile your aggravated assault charge will be dropped or dismissed, especially if the victim’s statements are found to be false, or contradict other details that were uncovered during our investigation, Mr. Nguyen will fight for a complete dismissal of charges.
In some circumstances, we can get the charges reduced to a lesser included offense. When the stakes are high and every piece of evidence is critical, you need a Houston Aggravated Assault attorney that will be in your corner and protect you every step of the way. Contact the Law Office of Henry K. Nguyen, P.C. as soon as possible to begin discussing your defense.