How Self-Defense Can Beat Assault Charges in Seattle

How Self-Defense Can Beat Assault Charges in Seattle

Getting charged with assault can be really scary. One minute you’re just living your life, the next minute the cops show up at your door saying you assaulted someone. What do you do? Don’t panic. I’m here to help. I’m just a regular person who has gone through this before. Let me walk you through what to do step-by-step so you can protect yourself.

First off, take a deep breath. Assault charges sound really serious but there are different degrees. The prosecutor will look at the details and decide what degree of assault to charge you with. The good news is, even if they charge you with a serious degree of assault, we can fight it.

The Different Degrees of Assault

There are four degrees of assault charges in Washington State.

• First degree assault is the most serious. This is stuff like intentionally causing serious injuries with a weapon.
• Second degree is for recklessly causing substantial injuries.
• Third degree is for lesser injuries caused with criminal negligence.
• Fourth degree is the catch-all for any unwanted touching considered offensive. This includes slapping or shoving someone.

So if you got in a bar fight and punched someone, you’d probably get a third or fourth degree assault charge. But if you stabbed someone, that could be first or second degree.

The penalties get harsher with each degree. Fourth degree is a misdemeanor with up to 90 days in jail. First degree is a felony with years in prison. But remember – the prosecutor has to prove the degree of assault. And we can fight it!

Using Self-Defense to Beat the Charges

The best defense against assault charges is self-defense. If you were protecting yourself or someone else, that’s not a crime.

Washington State has strong self-defense laws. You’re allowed to use reasonable force if you’re being attacked or threatened. You don’t have a “duty to retreat” first like some states.

To claim self-defense, you have to show:

• You reasonably believed you or someone else was in danger of harm
• The level of force you used was necessary and reasonable
• You were not the aggressor

This is where a good lawyer comes in. I can help gather evidence and witnesses to show the threat you faced. Things like:

• Any weapons the other person had
• Witnesses who saw the other person threaten you
• Your injuries from the attack
• Texts or social media posts showing the threats

I can also argue that the force you used was reasonable. Punching someone who has you in a chokehold is reasonable. Shooting someone who slapped you is likely not reasonable.

The key is making your actions seem reasonable under the circumstances. With good legal arguments and evidence, we can often win on self-defense.

When Self-Defense May Not Work

There are cases where self-defense won’t work:

• You used way more force than necessary (“excessive force”)
• You were committing a crime when it happened
• You provoked the confrontation
• You assaulted a police officer

So if you beat someone half to death for shoving you, that likely won’t qualify as self-defense. Or if you were robbing someone and assaulted them when they fought back, self-defense won’t work.

But many cases aren’t so clear cut. Just because you threw the first punch doesn’t mean it wasn’t still self-defense. I can help show the nuances of the situation to strengthen your defense.

How a Lawyer Beats Assault Charges

As an experienced criminal defense lawyer, I know how to get charges reduced or dismissed. Here’s how I’ll strategically fight your assault accusation:

• I’ll interview witnesses and look for inconsistencies in their stories. If witnesses contradict each other, it raises reasonable doubt.
• I’ll negotiate with the prosecutor to reduce charges. Often they’ll reduce to a lower degree of assault to avoid a trial.
• I’ll gather evidence like medical records, texts/emails, and social media posts to support your innocence.
• I’ll file motions picking apart flaws in the prosecution’s case before trial. This can get evidence thrown out.
• At trial, I’ll aggressively cross-examine witnesses to expose lies and inconsistencies in their testimony.
• I’ll seek expert testimony from psychologists to bolster claims of self-defense, mental illness, or lack of intent.
• If you’re found guilty, I’ll make compelling arguments to minimize your sentence.

My goal is getting charges dismissed entirely. But even pleading down to a lower charge helps avoid huge penalties. I draw on my experience fighting these cases to put up the strongest defense.

The Importance of an Aggressive Lawyer

Assault charges must be taken seriously. The penalties can follow you for life.

You need a bold, aggressive lawyer who won’t back down. Prosecutors know I’ll fight tooth and nail for my clients. Many times they’ll offer very favorable plea deals to avoid facing me in court.

Don’t leave your fate in the hands of a public defender who juggles hundreds of cases. Hire me to give your defense the time and attention it deserves. I’ll be your fiercest advocate.

I know you’re scared and overwhelmed. But you have rights. Call me now to start crafting your defense. I’ll stand by you each step of the way until we beat these charges for good.

There’s still hope. Don’t lose faith. With the truth on your side and an aggressive lawyer in your corner, we can win this fight. You have so much still ahead of you. Don’t let one bad moment ruin your future.

Call me now and let’s get started.