Facing Violent Crime Charges In Houston?

Violent crimes are those in which force or the threat of force is used against victims and may be committed both with and without a weapon. These crimes may be committed against a targeted victim, as in the case of murder, or as part of another crime, as in an armed robbery in which a victim is harmed or killed.

Examples of violent crimes include assault, assault on a family member (domestic violence), terroristic threat, stalking, harassment, deadly conduct, robbery, aggravated assault, injury to a child/elderly, aiding suicide, attempted murder, violation of protective orders, sexual assault, kidnapping, aggravated robbery, solicitation of capital murder, murder and capital murder.

Assaultive offenses are some of the most challenging cases handled by criminal defense attorneys. Because these types of crimes often involve seriously injured victims, or victims of a specially protected class such as children or the elderly, a person charged with an assaultive crime often finds himself the target of a very determined prosecutor seeking lengthy confinement.

The list of available defenses to assaultive offenses is lengthy. Faulty eyewitness identifications, poor DNA laboratory work, alibis, self-defense situations, and faulty conclusions by investigating officers or witnesses can all be areas that a qualified defense attorney must explore.

Experienced Assault Charge Representation

Since 1999, the Downey Law Firm has defended numerous cases involving assault charges. Our firm retains a network of experts, investigators, and consultants who can be utilized to explore and defend in any case that may be applicable. Our attorney is the former co-chair of the HPD Crime Lab Serology Review Committee, which investigated the effect of the significant laboratory errors taking place at the Houston Police Department in 146 assaultive offenses.

As a board-certified attorney in criminal law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Mr. Downey has lectured throughout Texas instructing criminal defense attorneys on ways to ensure that jurors in a trial will understand the very real danger of making false assumptions from limited or faulty evidence.

On numerous occasions, our attorney has located evidence and witnesses that have proven that the person charged with the assaultive offense did not, in fact, commit any crime.

Common State Assaultive Offense Punishment Ranges:
Class C	Assault by threat	Zero to $500 fine
Class B	Terroristic threat	Zero to 180 days in jail
Class A	Assault – Bodily injury Deadly conduct	Zero to 1 year in jail
Fourth Degree	Aiding suicide	Six to 24 months in state jail
Third Degree		Two to 10 years in prison
Second Degree	Aggravated assault Attempted murder Robbery	Two to 20 years in prison
First Degree	Murder Aggravated sexual assault Solicitation of capital murder Aggravated robbery	Five years to life in prison
..	Capital murder	Life in prison – Death penalty

Aggressively Defending Your Rights

When facing charges involving a violent offense, you want an experienced attorney handling your case and protecting your rights. Call our Houston office at 713-651-0400 or contact us online.