Riverside, CA asked in Criminal Law for Texas

Q: I need to press charges on a male sheriff who assaulted me a female. What is the process?

I am being charged with attempted assault on a peace officer, however I am the one who was handcuffed and assaulted. I was knocked unconscious and sustained multiple injuries.

Related Topics:
2 Lawyer Answers
Kiele Linroth Pace
Kiele Linroth Pace
Answered
  • Criminal Law Lawyer
  • Austin, TX
  • Licensed in Texas

A: A person is only allowed to fight back in self-defense against an ILLEGAL use of force. It is legal for a peace officer to use force if he reasonably believes it is immediately necessary to make an arrest or to prevent escape. See section 9.51 of the Texas Penal Code. The officer will probably say that he believed the force was immediately necessary because that gets him off the hook. That said, the officer was probably also wearing a BodyCam, so your attorney will watch the video recording and look for signs of unnecessary force.

Penny Wymyczak-White
Penny Wymyczak-White
Answered
  • Criminal Law Lawyer
  • Houston, TX
  • Licensed in Texas

A: Retain a lawyer and get the body cam. After you get body cam attorney can assist you in attempting to file charges and going to internal affairs

Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.

The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.

Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.