Assault on A Female

Assault on a Female is a serious violent crime.  It is a Class A1 misdemeanor, which the most serious of all misdemeanor crimes. Under North Carolina law a Class A1 misdemeanor falls just below the threshold of a felony charge. A conviction for Assault on a Female can result in a jail sentence of up to 150 days, causing loss of employment while your sentence is served, as well as steep fines and court costs. If you have been charged with Assault on a Female, you need a lawyer with experience defending assault charges in the North Carolina.

To secure a conviction of the charge of Assault on a Female, the prosecution must prove each element of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt.  These requisite elements include:

• That the adult male acted in an aggressive manner towards a female
• The adult male offender had the intent to cause the woman to fear harmful or offensive contact through that aggressive behavior
• That the adult male offender was successful in causing fear or harm and that the woman’s fear was reasonable

The two forms of assault recognized in North Carolina.  They include overt acts intended to cause harm and injury, and a show of violence, displaying the apparent ability to inflict injury.  In both cases, the charge may be viable so long as a reasonable person was placed in fear of violence. The difference between that the first is focused on the intent of the man, while the second focuses on the fear of the victim.  Assault on a Female charges often occur in domestic situations, but the law does not require any preexisting relationship between the victim and the accused of the charges to be levied.

These charges are not taken lightly in North Carolina.  It is essential that you have a qualified, experienced criminal defense attorney to help you through the process.  From investigation through trial, the attorneys at DeMent Askew Johnson & Marshall have the expertise you need on your side to combat these kinds of assault charges. Call us today to speak with one of our defense attorneys about your Assault on a Female charge for a free consultation at 919-833-5555.