Bucks County Assault Investigation
If you find yourself the subject of an assault investigation in Bucks County, you should immediately obtain the services of an experienced Bucks County criminal assault lawyer. Ideally, this connection will take place prior to the police reaching out to the individual in question, which will allow more time to discuss and decide on the best course of action.
The benefits of hiring an attorney as early as possible, and even in some cases prior to being formally charged, include the ability of the attorney to help the person present their side of the story to the police in the most credible way possible. An individual can assert self-defense or any other defense, including that they were not, in fact, participating in the act they are accused of. Another defense an attorney could investigate and present might be the presence of bias on the part of the complaining witness.
What to Expect
In Bucks County, an assault investigation by police often requires statements from alleged victims as well as statements from alleged witnesses, all done under oath. These are often Mirandized prior to their recording.
Additional required documentation is likely to include official records, such as medical records, as well as other pieces of evidence, such as a weapon or anything else recovered at the time of the incident. Any statement made by the accused without the presence of an attorney can be used against said individual. However, as soon as one has the ability to obtain an attorney, the charged person is dealt with in a cautious and lawful manner which protects the individual and can often be a detriment to the prosecution bringing such charges.
In cases where someone has already been charged with assault, it is essential to ensure the individual’s side is heard, which is accomplished by having the right attorney by their side, giving them the right advice.
Mirandized Statements
A Mirandized statement means the police have advised an individual of their rights prior to taking a statement, including a witness statement, from the individual.
An individual has the right to remain silent and needs to know that they have the choice not to answer police questions without an attorney present. They should also be aware that, should they decide to answer, those answers will most likely be used against them in a court of law.
These are the types of situations that can become perilous when the individual has not reached out to an experienced Bucks County criminal assault lawyer.
Evidence Gathering
The prosecution in assault cases will attempt to collect any or all of the following evidence in the interest of building its case:
- Statements from witnesses
- Statements from the accuser or accusers
- Any videotape evidence that may exist
- Any audiotape evidence that may exist
- Communicative evidence, such as social media and/or texts
Additionally, any alleged weapons used and medical records of the accuser are essential. All of these, put together, allow the Commonwealth and prosecutors to put the pieces of their puzzle together and move forward on a prosecution of the alleged defendant.
The defense attorneys will request the same evidence as well as any other information provided to them by their clients during the investigation. The gathering process will allow them to further research and develop a defense for an assault charge.
How an Attorney Can Help
If an individual is involved in an assault, whether it be domestic, roughhousing in a bar, or of some other nature, they should reach out immediately even before the police come.
A Bucks County assault lawyer can field all calls from the prosecution or police and, in most cases, the individual’s story or defense can be heard even before the story of the person charging them with the crime. In those cases, with the right attorney and the right resources, assault investigations in Bucks County that would otherwise potentially end in a conviction can often be concluded before an arrest ever materializes.