South Boston Man Faces Criminal Charges In Haverhill District Court Stemming From A Dispute In A Laundromat
A crime reporter for the Boston Herald found himself on the other end of a story when he was arrested and charged with assault and battery on a person over sixty-five. According to the Lawrence Eagle Tribune, O'Ryan Johnson, 33 years old from South Boston, is accused of kicking seventy-four year old Kent White in the chest after he asked for assistance in a laundromat. Johnson faces up to ten years in prison if he is convicted to this felony.
In Massachusetts, a conviction for simple assault and battery is punishable by up to two and one half years in the house of correction. In order to prove this crime, the government must establish that that the defendant committed the intentional and unjustified use of force upon the person of another, however slight, or establish the intentional doing of a wanton or grossly negligent act causing personal injury to another, In this case, because it is alleged that the victim is over sixty-five years old, the charge is a felony instead of a misdemeanor. The difference between a felony and a misdemeanor is based on the potential sentence that a defendant faces upon conviction. In view of the the fact that a conviction for assault and battery can only result in a sentence to the house of correction, it is considered a misdemeanor. Conviction for assault and battery on a person over 65 carries the potential of a state prison sentence and is therefore a felony.
If you have been charged with any crime of violence in Massachusetts it is important that you have an experienced Boston defense attorney on your side from the beginning. Based on the facts of the case, it may be appropriate to conduct pre-trial investigation and file discovery motions to mount a successful defense. Depending on the circumstances, it may be appropriate to build a defense based on self-defense or defense of another. Recently, Attorney McCarthy secured a not guilty verdict in a domestic assault and battery case by successfully presenting a claim of self defense and defense of another, the defendant's minor child.
Attorney Kathleen M. McCarthy defends individuals accused of violent crimes in courthouses throughout Massachusetts including Haverhill, Lawrence and Lowell. She has over twenty years experience in criminal law. If you are facing criminal charges and need an experienced defense attorney on your side call Attorney McCarthy at 978-975-8060 or contact her online.
