Battery on an Officer Charges in Los Angeles

What is battery on an officer?

Battery is when one person comes in willful physical contact with another with the intent to harm that person, and the contact is unwanted. When the person contacted is a police officer, the penalties are usually more serious. It could be as simple as touching the peace officer. It has occurred that a police officer has alleged that battery has been committed upon him due solely because he does not like this individual and "has it in for him". Battery can be either simple, where little or no injury occurs, and is a misdemeanor, or aggravated, where the injuries are more severe, and the victim is considered to be a protected person, such as police officer or firefighter. Misdemeanor battery carries a fine of up to 6 months in jail and a fine of up to $2000. For aggravated battery, the jail sentence can be increased if the injuries are more severe, and stay as a misdemeanor, or be changed to a felony.

For someone to be convicted of battery on a police officer, the prosecution must show that a battery was committed, and it was against a peace officer during the execution of his or her duties, that it was known to the person committing the offense that the victim was a police officer, and that he/she was injured by the battery. If you have been charged with battery on a police officer, a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney will investigate your case and go over your legal options with you.

Defending Your Rights in Los Angeles

If a person commits a felony battery in California, they will be charged under Three Strikes Law and receive double the sentence for the second strike, and 25 years to life for the third strike, making battery on an officer a very serious crime. If you are charged with such a crime, your lawyer may defend you by stating the charges were false and without merit, the contact was not deliberate, but accidental, or that the battery was done in self defense due to the use of unreasonable force or you were arrested unlawfully. If you feel you have been unjustly charged with battery on a police officer, call Tyler & Wilson, LLP for a free criminal defense consultation.

Contact a Los Angeles battery on an officer defense attorney today. We care about your constitutional rights.