Committing an act of violence against someone is an act of battery and being convicted of it can lead to serious consequences. To be an act of battery, a prosecutor must show that the defendant:
- Committed the act willfully and unlawfully.
- Used force or violence or touched another person in an offensive manner.
- Performed the act directly or indirectly.
If you’ve been charged with battery, you need to contact a battery defense lawyer to help you. There are defenses against battery which could reduce the charges or get them dismissed.
Self-Defense or Defense of Others
If you committed an act of violence against someone to protect yourself or another person, then a battery defense lawyer should be able to successfully defend you. He or she needs need to show that:
- You had a reason to believe you or another person were in imminent danger of being harmed.
- You believed a use of force was necessary to defend yourself or someone else.
- The amount of force used was only enough to defend yourself or another person against the danger.
No Intent
To be convicted of battery, the prosecutor must show there was intent to cause someone else harm. If the contact was accidental, then there was no intent. If a battery defense lawyer can show during your arraignment that there was no intent to cause harm, then the prosecutor may decline to press charges. To learn more about hiring a criminal law attorney such as Michael D. Shook Attorney at Law, call 310-328-6650.
Consent from Another
As long as the contact you had with another person was consensual, then you shouldn’t be found guilty of battery. Consent is especially important in cases involving sex crimes because being convicted of attempted rape or rape can put you in prison for a long time. To schedule a consultation with an attorney, go to . Connect with them on Facebook for more information!
