Los Angeles Violent Crimes Lawyer

What Are Violent Crimes?

Violent crimes make the news all the time, but you may not know just how broad this category can be. Humans fear violence and strong laws have been put in place to protect others from someone who is believed to be violent. But not every case of violence is criminal.

There are many circumstances that could cause a violent crime charge to get dismissed, and you need a violent crime lawyer on your side with a history of defending people against these charges. If you are convicted of a violent crime you face more than fines and jail time. You may face significant obstacles for future employment after your release.

The Los Angeles violent crime attorneys at Manshoory Law can help you. If you are charged with any type of violent crime, whether something minor like resisting arrest, to something as serious as murder, we will listen to your story and work hard to vigorously defend you in court. This could be the rest of your life on the line; don’t wait until it is too late to call us.

What Are Some Types?

Violent crimes cover a wide range of crimes. The list of felony violent crimes in California is quite large and there are many others that are misdemeanors all across the criminal code. In general, any crime that involves touching someone without their consent or using a weapon to do so can be classified as a violent crime.

This means that things like kidnapping are also considered violent crimes. There are also several sex crimes that cross the boundaries between that category and violent crime. We detail those on the sex crimes page.

We’ll cover three types of violent crime here:

Assault and Battery

Assault and Battery are actually two separate crimes. A simple assault charge is an attempted battery. And a simple battery charge is when a person uses any unwanted force of touching on another. The battery can be something as simple as grabbing someone without their consent.

Assault with a Deadly Weapon

Based on the amount of force used or the weapon used, you can be charged with a simple battery or have your charge upgraded to Assault with a Deadly Weapon. This is a far more serious charge, especially if the police believe you were committing another felony at the same time.

Resisting Arrest

Resisting Arrest is defined basically as any action that delays, obstructs, or prevents an officer from doing his duties during an arrest situation. Sadly, many protestors who choose to exercise their constitutional rights get this charge added to their arrest as a matter of course through practicing civil disobedience. Even the simple act of going limp so it’s harder to move you can get you charged with a violent crime.

What Are Penalties for Violent Crimes?

Given the wide variety of violent crimes, the range of consequences is also large. You will need to consult with us about your situation for us to know exactly what you might be facing should you fail to prevail in court.

For the crimes we’ve mentioned:

• Simple battery is a misdemeanor and is punishable by a maximum of one year in jail and a $1000 fine.
• Assault with a Deadly Weapon is a “Wobbler” which means it could be filed as Misdemeanor or Felony. If charged as a Felony, the maximum is 4 years in State Prison. If there is an allegation that “great bodily injury” occurred during the assault, three years can be added to your sentence.
• Resisting Arrest is commonly filed as a Misdemeanor and is punishable by 1 year in the County Jail and a $1000 fine.

What Are Some Possible Defenses?

Some effective defenses to violent crimes include:

• Self-Defense: If someone attacked you first or you felt that you would be attacked if you didn’t act immediately and you used reasonable, proportionate force to protect yourself. Your actions are justified and do not constitute a crime. However, this does not mean that you can avoid arrest if the police think you acted too strongly or want you to explain your actions to the court.
• Defense of Others: If you acted to prevent harm to someone in immediate danger, you may be able to defend against a violent crime charge. Like with self-defense, you may still be arrested to explain what happened.
• Accident: If the unlawful touching happened but you did not intend to commit the act, it is possible that you may avoid a criminal charge. You may still face civil charges depending on what happened.
• Wrong person: You were wrongly identified as the culprit.
• Mutual Combat: The other party consented to fight. This is a rare defense, but it is possible. For instance, prizefighters and other professional combatants can be covered under this defense.

Many other possible defense scenarios may exist for your case. It all depends on the charges and the circumstances. Consult with a Los Angeles violent crime lawyer at Manshoory Law Group for a full analysis of your case and the development of a defense strategy.

Talk to a Los Angeles Violent Crimes Defense Lawyer for Free

Consider the consequences of a violent crime conviction. Even if you are only charged with a minor misdemeanor, anyone who looks at your criminal record in the future will wonder if you might be violent in the future. It’s a legal form of discrimination and it can follow you for the rest of your life. But also consider what you could face if the crime is worse. Violent offenders can spend years or even decades behind bars. In the worst case, you will be put in prison for the rest of your life with no opportunity for parole.

Compared to consequences like these, the expense of hiring a competent criminal defense attorney to defend you is entirely worth it. Do not let the legal system put you away without fighting back. A violent crimes charge needs a strong and experienced legal team who will defend your freedom.

Manshoory Law is that legal team and we want to help you. Contact Us immediately if you have been charged with a violent crime. Don’t risk spending the rest of your life in prison because you didn’t make a phone call.