If you’ve been charged with Assaulting a Police Officer (NY PL 120.08), you run the risk of a prison sentence as long as 15 years.
In Buffalo, prosecutors are very serious when they handle cases of assaults against cops, so your first act should be to find qualified legal support to protect your rights and provide the strongest possible defense.
Assaulting a Police Officer has four key elements that prosecutors must prove.
First, that the accused is the person who committed the assault; second, that the victim was a police officer or other qualified individual; third, that the assault was committed with the intent of preventing the police officer from performing a lawful duty; and fourth, that the accused caused serious physical injury.
Many cases charged under NY PL 120.08 hinge on the third clause, that the assault was intended to prevent an officer from performing a lawful duty.
Assaulting a Police Officer is often charged when police themselves have engaged in excessive force or other improper conduct, and your defense counsel should be willing to explore all angles as part of your rebuttal to the charges against you.
The attorneys at Friedman & Ranzenhofer are some of Buffalo’s most experienced criminal defense attorneys, and can make a big difference in your case.
Call us today at 585-484-7432 for a legal consultation.
