Criminal Assault and Defense Strategies

Criminal assault is an act that threatens another person with physical harm. It may take the form of either a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the seriousness of the incident in question.

Even if no one was physically harmed, an action could still be considered assault of there was an intentional threat of harm to another person. For example, swinging a bat at a person but not hitting him or her, brandishing a gun (whether loaded or not) and making a fist and waving it in a person’s face would all constitute assault.

However, there are some acts that could cause a person to feel threatened that do not qualify as assault. One example would be merely telling someone you plan to cause harm to him or her at some point.

Aggravated assault is a specific type of criminal assault in which a person intends to cause serious bodily injury or actually succeeds in doing so. This type of assault sometimes involves a dangerous weapon and is typically classified as a felony rather than a misdemeanor.

There are a variety of defense strategies available to people who have been charged with assault, the most common of which is claiming “self-defense.” If you are able to prove you committed the action in response to the threat of harm or force from another person, you might not be charged with a crime.

For sound legal guidance when facing assault charges in Pennsylvania, contact experienced Reading criminal law attorney David R. Eshelman.