Confronting A Violent Crime Offense? We Put Our Insider Knowledge To Work For You.

As a former prosecutor, attorney David Deal knows what is at risk in these particular types of cases. We know exactly what must be done in order to effectively protect your rights in the midst of serious criminal allegations and charges. By tackling, preparing, and investigating your case proactively, we can create a strong criminal defense strategy that can withstand challenges from the prosecution, even if you are facing some of the most serious violent crimes out there.

Assault And Battery Charges

Assault and battery is both inflicting harm upon an individual and threatening to inflict harm upon an individual. This means that there is gray area to the interpretation of the accused person’s defense, as simply raising your fist and claiming you want to hit someone can be considered a battery offense in Indiana. Similarly, pushing someone down, even if it results in minimal injuries, such as a scratch, might be considered assault.

Furthermore, aggravated assault and battery is an escalation of the aforementioned charges due to the introduction of a deadly weapon – a knife, gun, etc. – or the preexisting desire to inflict injury upon the other person. Even if the accused was holding something relatively harmless – such as a ballpoint pen – but wielded it with the obvious intent to cause dangerous physical harm to someone, this can be considered aggravated assault. Additionally, aggravated assault may be charged if the injury or the threat of injury was given to a person of certain status, such as a police officer or young teenager.

Manslaughter And Murder Charges

Manslaughter is considered the unlawful killing of an individual that does not include preemptive plotting or existing malice, such as shoving someone and unintentionally toppling them down a flight of stairs to their death. While the end result is the same as murder, the charges are generally less severe due to the fact that the harm typically arises from recklessness or negligence. If a killing happens during the “heat of passion”, this may be considered voluntary manslaughter in court and not necessarily a murder, since strong emotions were in play and not detailed forethought.

What Must The Prosecution Prove?

• Premeditation: First-degree murder requires that the assailant thought about and planned the killing ahead of time. If premeditation cannot be proven, it may be deemed second-degree murder, or the defense can also push for voluntary manslaughter charges.
• Sanity: A common defense in murder cases is that the assailant was temporarily or permanently not in control of his or her actions due to a complete loss of mental capacity.
• Self-defense: It is entirely possible that murder charges could be dismissed if the assailant was actually defending his or her own life from the alleged victim.

Avoiding The High Cost of Conviction

If you have been arrested, charged, or targeted for investigation involving any type of violent crime, you need to know how seriously these types of criminal offenses are treated by the state’s prosecutors, law enforcement officials, and judges. Perhaps the most harshly prosecuted crimes in the nation, violent crimes can carry some of the most severe consequences.

In addition to imprisonment, excessive legal fees, and other criminal consequences, people who have been convicted of a violent crime will have to live with permanent criminal records as convicted felons. Having this type of mark on your record could make getting a job, obtaining a loan, securing an educational scholarship, or progressing in your career nearly impossible.

Facing Serious Charges? Retain A Proven Defense Lawyer Today!

Obtain the solid defense that you deserve before the prosecution can build a case against you. Don’t risk trusting your freedom to an inexperienced or uncaring criminal defense attorney. By contacting our law firm immediately after an arrest, we can put our skills and resources to work for you.

Facing violent crime charges in Indiana? Email or call our firm at 317-634-7000​ to schedule your confidential, risk-free case evaluation. We’re here to champion your side of the story.