Richmond Assault on an Officer Lawyer
Assault on a police officer is very serious in Richmond. Richmond police officers do not like being assaulted and judges do not like the officers being assaulted. When a legitimate assault on a police officer is charged, it is taken very seriously. The officers, most of the time, look for a conviction. They may want the Commonwealth to seek a conviction for that individual, but they want to do at least a mandatory minimum of six months.
They want to make a statement out of that particular charge. The person is going to need to be prepared to fight the charge which is why the help of a Richmond assault on an officer lawyer can be a great asset. Police officers are going to want them to go to jail, and an experienced defense attorney can work to build a strong case against their charges.
Assault on an Officer Compared to Assault
The fact that an officer was assaulted while performing their duties makes it a different charge from typical assault. It goes from a Class 1 misdemeanor to the maximum penalties of potentially 12 months in jail. Generally, in Richmond, if a person is convicted of a misdemeanor offense, whatever the sentence is to serve, they only have to serve half of it. Even if a person is maxed out on a Class 1 misdemeanor because the judge gave the person all 12 months, they only have to serve 6 of that. However, with a Class 6 felony for assaulting a law enforcement officer, a person is guaranteed to serve a minimum of six months on top of the felony offense.
It comes with the loss of rights and the stigma of being a violent and aggressive individual. On top of all that, the person will also gain a reputation with law enforcement. Once the individual is convicted of anything, especially a crime against a police officer, and the officers have to come into contact with them for one reason or another, it is more than likely going to be a problem because now they are known to the Richmond Police Department as an individual who assaults officers.
Penalties for Assaulting an Officer
It is a Class 6 felony offense and it carries a maximum penalty of five years in jail, a fine of $2,500, and a mandatory minimum of six months in jail. If convicted of a Class 6 felony, a person loses the right to vote and the right to possess a firearm. If a person is subsequently found trying to vote without having their rights restored, attempting to buy a firearm, or possessing a firearm after being found guilty of assaulting a law enforcement officer, they are looking at two new felony offenses.
If a person is convicted of assaulting a law enforcement officer, the person also has the stigma of having felony their record, which is a scarlet letter. Outside of the city, if anybody runs a background check on them or looks them up online, they will be able to find out that they are considered to be a violent and aggressive individual who should not be trusted and who can harm someone. All of those things come with a conviction of assault on a law enforcement officer. By working with a Richmond assault on an officer lawyer, an individual can fight these charges in order to fight the potential stigma that might follow them.
Value of an Attorney
The counsel of a Richmond assault on an officer lawyer can be indispensable if you have been charged with assaulting law enforcement. The penalties for assaulting officers are typically harsher and the accompanying stigma can add difficulty to your life moving forward. Having a reputation for getting violent with officers can hinder access to opportunities and police officer’s will be more wary of you, should they come into contact with you. However, if you reach out to a determined defense attorney, you can rest assured that they can fight for you.
