Asked in Criminal Law, Family Law and Domestic Violence for Texas

Q: My boyfriend grabbed my throat twice and slammed me against the wall. He says I pulled a knife but I didn’t! What do I

Do? I watch a lot of crime shows, so while he was choking me I scratched him to make sure if anything happened, it would be known i was struggling. I am a public figure in our community and don’t want it splashed all over. Help

1 Lawyer Answer
Kiele Linroth Pace
Kiele Linroth Pace
Answered
  • Criminal Law Lawyer
  • Austin, TX
  • Licensed in Texas

A: It sounds like you were both claiming the Self Defense justification so the question now, distilled to its core, is whether there is reasonable doubt about how the fight started.

Documents related to an arrest are public records so, if you were arrested, consult your criminal defense attorney about how best to respond when asked for a comment. A good starting point might be something like "I am fighting these charges and will tell you my side of the story after the case is dismissed. I can't discuss the pending litigation." Unless your attorney advises otherwise, your damage control strategy should NOT include making any public statements (online or otherwise) about the incident itself.

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