Assault

People who cough or spit on police officers and then claim to have Covid-19 will be facing big-time prosecution in New Jersey. This is according to state Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal, who announced at the start of April that his office was prosecuting at least six cases, and upgrading charges where individuals claimed to have tried to infect law enforcement personnel with the virus.

Grewal’s office released a statement noting that, “We take all assaults on police officers seriously, but it is especially heinous for someone to spit or cough at an officer in an attempt to infect or threaten to infect them with COVID-19.”

The A.G.’s office has added a second-degree charge of making terroristic threats during a state of emergency in four of the cases, and all six have had fourth-degree aggravated assault on an officer charges added.

The defendants, all of whom had their altercations with police during March, are from around the state and came into contact with police in a variety of ways, from DWI stops to domestic violence incidents to allegations of shoplifting.

Second degree crimes carry a sentence of five to ten years in New Jersey, while conviction for a fourth degree crime can put you away for 18 months.

During the pandemic, it’s unlikely that judges will feel any need to go lightly on you if you’re charged with conduct like this. If you’ve been charged with assaulting a police officer in relation to the Covid-19 / Coronavirus pandemic, talk to an experienced lawyer right away. Call Matt Reisig today at 732-385-3339 for a free consultation.

New Jersey Penalties For Aggravated Assault (N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1(b)) Charges

Aggravated Assault (N.J.S.A 2C:12-1(b)) in New Jersey may be charged at a variety of levels, based on the specifics of the conduct in question.

For instance, a defendant who is accused of recklessly causing bodily injury to another with a deadly weapon can be charged at the fourth degree crime level and face up to 18 months in jail.

An attempt to cause, or purposely and knowingly causing bodily injury to another, is a crime of the third degree, with a sentence of up to five years if convicted.

Recklessly causing serious bodily injury to another under circumstances manifesting an extreme indifference to the value of human life is a second degree crime, and you could go to prison for up to 10 years if convicted.

Obviously, a great deal depends on the facts of your case, and more importantly, what the prosecution can prove.

An experienced New Jersey criminal defense attorney can help you build the strongest possible case in your defense.

Attorney Matthew Reisig has been helping people in New Jersey facing Aggravated Assault charges for more than 17 years.

If you or a family member need help with Aggravated Assault charges, call 732-625-9661 today and talk to an experienced New Jersey Aggravated Assault defense attorney for free.

New Jersey Penalties For Assault (N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1) Charges

In most states, minor crimes whose punishment is less than a year are known as misdemeanors, while more serious crimes with longer sentencing options are called felonies.

In New Jersey, misdemeanor-level violations are charged as disorderly persons offenses or petty disorderly persons offenses.

Assault (N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1), often referred to as Simple Assault, is typically charged as a disorderly persons offense and puts you at risk for up to six months in jail.

The exception is where the parties involved in the altercation entered into it by mutual consent.

In that case, the charge is a petty disorderly persons offense, with a maximum sentence of 30 days.

Assault charges at any level can cause you problems down the road.

If you are subsequently charged with a crime, the existence of a past conviction for an act of violence can increase your charges and expose you to significantly longer sentencing than you’d otherwise face.

It’s important that you take every step available to protect yourself and secure your future.

Attorney Matthew Reisig has more than 17 years of experience protecting people in New Jersey facing Assault charges.

If you need help with Assault charges, call 732-625-9661 today for a free consultation with an experienced New Jersey criminal defense attorney.

New Jersey Criminal Defense Lawyer For Aggravated Assault (N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1(b))

Aggravated Assault (N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1(b)) is a serious violent crime in New Jersey with punishments that vary based on the specific facts of your case.

There are a number of scenarios described in the statute that will result in a charge of Aggravated Assault:

• attempting to cause, or actually causing serious bodily injury, purposely, knowingly, or recklessly, under circumstances that demonstrate an extreme indifference to the value of human life
• attempt, or purposely and knowingly cause bodily injury using a deadly weapon
• recklessly cause bodily injury with a deadly weapon
• knowingly, and under circumstances that manifest an extreme indifference to the value of human life, point a firearm in the direction of another person
• causing bodily injury while eluding police or unlawfully operating a motor vehicle
• cause bodily injury to emergency services personnel who are working to put out a fire or explosion caused by the defendant
• attempt to cause, or cause significant bodily injury, knowingly, purposefully, or recklessly, in circumstances that manifest an extreme indifference to the value of human life
• knowingly, and under circumstances that manifest an extreme indifference to the value of human life, point a firearm at a police officer
• knowingly point, display, or use an imitation firearm at or in the direction of a police officer in order to intimidate or cause fear of bodily injury or any other unlawful purpose
• use a laser sighting device against a police officer
• commit simple assault against certain classes of people, including police officers, judges, healthcare workers, and others.

All Aggravated Assault charges are felonies in New Jersey, and penalties can range from 18 months at the Fourth Degree Crime level to ten years as a Second Degree Crime.

Call Matthew Reisig immediately if you’ve been charged with Aggravated Assault at 732-625-9661 for a free consultation.

Simple Assault (N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1) Defense Attorney In New Jersey

Simple Assault (N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1) in New Jersey is defined as attempting to cause, or purposely, knowingly, or recklessly causing bodily injury to another; negligently causing bodily injury to another with a deadly weapon; or attempting by physical menace to put another in fear of imminent serious bodily injury.

While Simple Assault is graded as a disorderly persons offense, it can still carry a sentence of up to six months in jail.

A Simple Assault charge may not seem like a big deal to you. After all, fights happen, and you may think that simply telling your side to a judge will resolve things.

That’s almost certainly the worst thing you can do. Having any sort of record of a violent act can be a barrier to jobs, housing, and educational opportunities that would otherwise be open to you.

The best thing you can do for your future is to work with an experienced New Jersey criminal defense attorney who can help protect you against the charges you’re facing.

Attorney Matthew Reisig successfully defends clients against Simple Assault charges in New Jersey. Call 732-625-9661 today for a free consultation.

Defense of others is one of several justifications recognized by courts in assault cases in New Jersey.

Similarly to self-defense, defense of others is an argument that force was required to protect another from the threat of serious injury or death.

As with self-defense, the law requires that you were not the initial aggressor in the altercation, that your use of force was proportional to the threat to the party you defended, and that there were no viable options to fulfill the “duty to retreat” requirement.

Self-defense and defense of others are both powerful arguments against an assault charge when properly employed.

An experienced New Jersey criminal defense attorney can develop a robust defense when you took action to protect another person from harm.

Call Matthew Reisig at 732-625-9661 today to talk to an experienced New Jersey assault attorney and fight back against improper charges against you.