Assault Crimes & Family Violence

Assault and domestic violence offenses can be charged as felonies or misdemeanors in Mississippi. Being accused of an assault or domestic violence crime can affect your freedom, your right to possess firearms, your ability to get housing, credit, employment, government contracts, security clearances, and other benefits. If you’re going through a divorce or child custody battle, an accusation of domestic violence can seriously impact your division of property or parental rights. Depending on the facts and circumstances surrounding the allegations, legal defenses may be available. Pascagoula, Mississippi criminal defense attorney Sean Buckley aggressively represents clients accused of all types of assault and domestic violence crimes and is ready to fight for you.

 

Simple Assault and Aggravated Assault

 

Simple Assault (misdemeanor) charges and Aggravated Assault (felony) charges in Mississippi can stem from almost any alleged physical conflict between people. Some assault charges in Mississippi may even be based on recklessness or mere negligence – which don’t require proof of deliberate or intentional conduct. Circumstances such as serious bodily injury or the use of a deadly weapon could be used by prosecutors to enhance a misdemeanor Simple Assault into a felony Aggravated Assault. However, Mississippi law is very specific as to when and how these enhancements apply. Due to the specificity of Mississippi’s assault laws, and since many assault cases involve “he said / she said” allegations, a variety of legal defenses may be available.  Whatever the facts and circumstances of your Simple Assault or Aggravated Assault case, Pascagoula criminal defense attorney Sean Buckley is ready to fight for your legal rights and defend your reputation.

 

Domestic Violence Cases

 

Domestic violence allegations often arise in the heat of the moment and without an opportunity for family intervention and therapy. Once police respond and prosecutors become involved, the situation can quickly spiral into a serious assault case – regardless of the wishes of the affected family members. Many people falsely assume that an alleged victim can stop a criminal assault case from proceeding at any time by simply telling police or prosecutors they no longer want to press charges. In reality, the alleged victim usually loses control over the process as soon as charges are filed – if not sooner.

 

Some domestic violence cases can be defended based on the facts (what actually happened or didn’t happen), while other cases can be mitigated with efforts by the accused to obtain counseling, substance abuse treatment, or other measures designed to show acceptance of responsibility and prevent future conflict.  Whatever the facts and circumstances of your domestic violence case, Pascagoula - Gulfport criminal defense attorney Sean Buckley is ready to fight for your legal rights and defend your reputation. 

 

The “Domestic Violence Scam”

 

Domestic violence allegations are often false or exaggerated. In some cases, those making the allegations are actually the domestic violence abusers, while the accused are their victims. In other cases, accusers make false or exaggerated allegations to gain leverage in contested divorces or custody battles.

 

Either way, the tactic is the same: the accuser manipulates and recruits law enforcement, prosecutors, and courts to wrongfully oppress, punish, and debilitate the accused individual. We refer to this as the “Domestic Violence Scam,” and Pascagoula criminal defense attorney Sean Buckley aggressively works to turn the tables on the scammer and expose the truth.

 

Legal defenses are available against false or exaggerated allegations of domestic violence and may include:

 

• Exposing evidence inconsistent with the allegations

• Exposing evidence of the accuser’s motive to lie or exaggerate

• Demonstrating lack of injuries consistent with the allegations

• Demonstrating text messages, emails, or audio recordings of the accuser that undermine or contradict their allegations

• Demonstrating relevant social media evidence created by the accuser

• Supporting the argument that police jumped to conclusions and arrested the wrong person

 

Whatever the facts and circumstances of your domestic violence case, Pascagoula - Gulfport criminal defense attorney Sean Buckley is ready to fight for your legal rights and defend your reputation. 

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