Westport Aggravated Assault Lawyer
Although “aggravated assault” does not frequently appear in the Connecticut General Statutes, battery charges with certain aggravating factors can have severe consequences upon conviction. If you need help contesting accusations of this nature, contact a Westport aggravated assault lawyer with a track record of successfully resolving cases like yours. One of our skilled assault attorneys is here to help.
What are Second-Degree Battery Charges in Westport?
There are three “degrees” of violence under state law, two of which are classified as felonies and “aggravated” crimes. According to Connecticut General Statutes (C.G.S.) §53a-60, second-degree assault occurs if someone does any of the following:
- Intentionally causes serious physical injury to someone else;
- Deliberately causes physical injury to any member or employee of the Board of Pardons and Paroles as a parolee;
- Deliberately causes bodily harm to someone else by using a dangerous instrument or deadly weapon other than a firearm;
- Intentionally gives someone else a drug that causes physical or cognitive impairment without any medical purpose for doing so;
- Recklessly causes serious physical injury to someone else through irresponsible use of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument;
- Renders someone unconscious and causes them serious physical injury by striking them on the head without provocation.
This type of offense is a class D felony punishable by up to five years imprisonment plus a $5,000 fine maximum fine. However, if the violence causes serious physical injury to another person, it becomes a class C felony with a minimum one-year prison term, maximum ten-year sentence, and a potential $10,000 fine upon conviction. Under C.G.S. §53a-167e, aggravated assault of public transit employees with a firearm is also a class C felony; however, the maximum applicable fine is $20,000.
Second-degree assault committed with a firearm, a motor vehicle operated by someone under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or against a vulnerable individual, such as a blind or pregnant person, is criminalized under separate statutes. These convictions often carry slightly harsher penalties compared to the base offense. A skilled attorney in Westport can explain second-degree battery offenses and help build a strong case to defend these charges in court.
What is “First-Degree” Assault?
According to C.G.S. §53a-59, first-degree assault occurs when a person intentionally causes serious physical injury to someone else using a dangerous weapon or with the assistance of two or more people. Alternatively, first-degree assault occurs when a person causes disfigurement or disability to someone else, inflicts serious physical injury to another individual through reckless actions which indicate an “extreme indifference to human life,” or hurts someone by discharging a firearm.
First-degree assault charges are class B felony offenses punishable by either a minimum of five years in prison or ten years if a person causes physical harm to a court witness or a minor under 10 using a dangerous instrument. Class B felonies also carry a maximum of 20 years in prison and up to $15,000 in fines.
Like second-degree assault, first-degree penalties become more severe if they target any vulnerable person or any correctional employee. Likewise, the first-degree assault of a pregnant woman that directly causes premature termination of her pregnancy is a class A felony punishable by a 10-to-25-year prison term and a $20,000 fine. If you face a first-degree assault charge, an aggressive lawyer in Westport will work to get you the best case outcome possible.
Seek Help from a Westport Aggravated Assault Attorney
Aggravated assault charges can have life-altering repercussions upon conviction, even for first-time offenders. To fight these accusations proactively and productively, contact a Westport aggravated assault lawyer at Mark Sherman Law as soon as possible. Click here to read what former clients say about working with us.