Not long ago this Illinois-based criminal defense blog provided its readers with a post on assault and battery charges. These crimes can result in serious penalties for those convicted and can alter the course of affected individuals’ lives. However, defendants do not have to accept their charges and can offer defenses to the claims made against them.
This post will introduce some possible criminal defenses that may serve the interests of men and women facing assault and battery charges. This post does not provide legal advice. All individuals facing violent crime charges can seek the counsel of dedicated criminal defense lawyers.
Attacking the prosecutor’s case
One way to defend against an assault or battery charge is to attack the prosecutor’s case and evidence. Criminal charges generally require prosecutors to show that the accused parties intended to commit their alleged crimes. As a defense, an individual could claim that the alleged assault or battery resulted from an accident or mistake.
Self-defense or defense of others
Another type of defense that an individual may use to combat assault or battery charges is an affirmative defense. These defenses do not challenge the facts of the prosecutor’s case but rather offer justifications for their actions. Self-defense and defense of others are two defenses that assert that the alleged defendant only acted in response to the aggressive and potentially criminal actions of the alleged victim.
Building one’s own criminal defense strategy
There are many different ways that a criminal defendant can approach the process of protecting their rights and interests when they are charged with assault or battery. Depending on the facts and circumstances of their charges, they may have option for determining what, if any, defense strategies will serve them. They can rely on the counsel and support of a criminal defense attorney to help them make good decisions about defending against the claims against them.