Queens Assault in the Second Degree

Assault is the criminal charge you will face if you intentionally or recklessly cause physical injury to someone else. For example if you hit, kick, shove or slap someone you could be charged with assault. In other words, if you beat up another person leaving that person with physical injuries, you will be charged with assault. There are different degrees of assault: assault in the third degree, second degree and first degree. The charge you will face for assaulting another person depends on the severity of the injury suffered by the victim and whether or not an object such as a knife was used to commit the assault. While assault in the second degree is not the most serious assault charge, if you are convicted you will go to prison. Furthermore, in addition to having to be incarcerated for number of years, you will also have to serve a period of community supervision and pay steep financial penalties. However, there are defenses to an assault in the second degree charge. Thus, if you have been charged with assault in the second degree it is important that you immediately contact an experienced Queens Assault in the Second Degree Lawyer who will listen to the facts of your case and explain to you your legal options.

• New York Criminal Lawyer
• N.Y. Criminal Code and New York Assault Lawyer
• N.Y. Criminal Code and Queens Assault Lawyer
• N.Y. Criminal Code and Queens Assault in the First Degree
• N.Y. Criminal Code and Queens Assault in the Second Degree
• N.Y. Criminal Code and Queens Assault in the Third Degree
• N.Y. Criminal Code and Queens Reckless Assault of a Child
• N.Y. Criminal Code and Queens Reckless Assault of a Child by a Child Day Care Provider
• N.Y. Criminal Code and Queens Aggravated Assault Upon a Person Less Than Eleven
• N.Y. Criminal Code and Queens Assault with a Deadly Weapon
• N.Y. Criminal Code and Queens Assault with a Dangerous Instrument
• N.Y. Criminal Code and Queens Assault with a Gun
• N.Y. Criminal Code and Queens Assault with a Knife
• N.Y. Criminal Code and Queens Assault at a Bar
• N.Y. Criminal Code and Queens Vehicular Assault in the First Degree
• N.Y. Criminal Code and Queens Vehicular Assault in the Second Degree
• N.Y. Criminal Code and Queens Aggravated Vehicular Assault
• N.Y. Criminal Code and Queens Gang Assault in the First Degree
• N.Y. Criminal Code and Queens Gang Assault in the Second Degree
• N.Y. Criminal Code and Queens Assault on a Police Officer
• N.Y. Criminal Code and Queens Assault on a Firefighter
• N.Y. Criminal Code and Queens Assault on a Social Worker
• N.Y. Criminal Code and Queens Assault on a Judge
• N.Y. Criminal Code and Queens Sexual Assault

New York Penal Law includes 3 degrees of the crime of assault including assault in the first degree, second degree and third degree. While assault in the second degree is not the most serious of the three offenses it is still a Class D felony. If you are convicted you could end up in prison for 7 years.

There are several factors that will cause an assault to rise to the level of a second degree assault.

1. You assault another person with the intent to cause serious injury to that person and you do in fact cause serious physical injury to that person or to a third person. N.Y. Pen. Law § 120.05(1). Serious physical injury means an injury that is so severe that the there is a good chance that the victim might die or suffer a protracted physical impairment. N.Y. Pen. Law § 10.00(10). In the case of People v. Taylor, 986 N.Y.S.2d 711 (2014) defendant Daniel Taylor was convicted of assault in the second degree based on using a pocket knife to cause a 16" cut the abdomen of the victim.

2. You assault another person using a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument, intending to injure another person and in fact injuring that person or a third party. While a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument is often a knife, gun, or vehicle, it can be any object or thing that can be used in a manner such that it is capable of causing serious physical injury. For example, in People v. Warren, 949 N.Y.S.2d 496 (2012), defendant Andrew Warren was convicted of assault in the second degree based throwing the victim down a staircase onto a concrete landing, causing injury. While a concrete landing is not commonly referred to as a dangerous instrument, when used in the manner that the defendant used it, it became a dangerous instrument.

3. You assault an official in order to prevent that person from performing his or her duties. Such officials include: a peace officer, a police officer, a prosecutor, a registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, a sanitation worker, a firefighter, a paramedic, emergency room personnel, a city marshal, a traffic enforcement officer, or social services employee.

4. You assault an official while that person was performing his or her duties. Such officials include: train operator, ticket inspector, conductor, signalperson, bus operator or other transit authority employee, a city marshal, a traffic enforcement officer, prosecutor, or sanitation worker.

5. You recklessly cause serious physical injury to another person with a deadly weapon or a dangerous instrument.

6. You intentionally cause another person to become unconsciousness or physically impaired by administering a drug to that person without his or her consent. In People v. Elmy, 984 N.Y.S.2d 672 (2014) defendant Robert Elmy was convicted of assault in the second degree. Elmy beat his wife and forced her to consume a large amount of alcohol. As a result she suffered a brain injury and multiple bruises and required emergency surgery.

7. In the course of committing a felony you injure another person.

8. If you are at least 18 years old, you intend to injure a child who is under 11 years old or recklessly injure such a child.

If you are suspected of assault in the second degree after you are taken to the local precinct you will be transferred to Central Booking where you will remain until your arraignment. At the arraignment you will be given a Complaint that will list the charges against you. You will be charged with assault in the second degree and perhaps additional crimes. The prosecutor will make a recommendation to the judge about bail. The judge will decide if bail is required, if you should be released on your own recognizance, or held without bail. Lastly, you will learn the next time you will be required to appear in court.

Before going to trial you may be able to reach an agreement with the prosecutor that allows you to plead guilty to a less serious crime that will result in you being given a lighter sentence than if you are convicted at trial. You have the option of accepting the deal or standing trial. If you agree to a plea agreement, the result is still that you have been convicted of a crime and you will have a criminal record.

Type of Injury. An assault in the second degree charge can be based on you seriously injuring the victim. This means that the prosecutor's evidence must clearly show that the victim suffered injuries that were so severe that the there was a good possibility that the victim might die or suffer an extended physical impairment. N.Y. Pen. Law § 10.00(10). If you can show that the victim's injuries were actually not that severe, then you may have a valid defense to assault in the second degree charges. However, even if the evidence may not support an assault in the second degree charge, the prosecutor may still decide to prosecute you for the less severe assault charge of assault in the third degree. If convicted of assault in the third degree the penalty would not be as harsh.

Self-Defense. New York has a "justification" statute that allows you to use physical force against another person to protect yourself from imminent harm. N.Y. Pen. Law § 35.15. This means that if the reason that you injured the other person is because you were protecting yourself from him or her, then you may have a valid defense to an assault charge. However, to use the justification defense, the other person had to have initiated the violence and not you.

If you are convicted of assault in the second degree your sentence will include prison, payment of fines and fees, and post-release supervision. In addition, an Order of Protection may be issued against you.

Assault in the second degree is a Class D felony. The maximum possible sentence is 7 years in prison. N.Y. Pen. Law § 70.02. Because assault in the second degree is also classified as a violent felony, the judge is required to impose a minimum sentence of 2 years in prison. Your sentence will be determinate, meaning that it will be a set period of years and not a range of years. The actual length of your prison sentence will depend on factors such as your prior criminal record.

Even if you have no prior convictions, then the minimum prison sentence you will receive is 2 years. The court will not have the option of sentencing you to no prison time. If your status is that of a non-violent predicate offender, then the court will sentence you to at least 3 years for an assault in the second degree conviction, while if you are a violent predicate offender, you will be sentenced to at least 5 years in prison. If you are a persistent felony offender, then the minimum sentence you will receive is 12-25 years in prison; the maximum sentence is life in prison. N.Y. Pen. Law § 70.08. Upon release you will be required to serve a term of post-release supervision.

In New York all violent felony offenders are required to serve 6/7 of their prison sentence before being released. Following release you will then serve a period of post-release supervision of 1.5-3 years. N.Y. Pen. Law § 70.45(e). While serving your term of post-release supervision you will be closely supervised by the Department of Corrections, and you will be required to abide by certain conditions. Examples of such conditions are:

• You must not commit a crime
• You must not associate with other people who you know have criminal records
• You must not patronize disreputable places
• You must not possess a controlled substance or drug paraphernalia
• You must consent to warrantless searches
• You cannot leave the State of New York without permission
• You must now own, possess or purchase a gun
• You must refrain from consuming alcohol
• You must submit to drug testing
• You must stick to a curfew
• You must have job

A consequence of violating any of the conditions is that you could be sent back to prison.

Being convicted of assault also can have substantial financial consequences as you will likely be required to pay a fine, fees and restitution. For an assault in the second degree conviction in addition to being sentenced to at least 2 years in prison you may also be required to pay a fine of up to $5,000. Furthermore, you will be required to pay certain fees including a fee that is called a "mandatory surcharge" of $300 as well as a victim assistance fee of $25. N.Y. Pen. Law § 60.35. You may also be required to pay probation or parole supervision fees of $30 per month.

Another financial consequence of an assault in the second degree conviction is that you may be ordered to pay restitution to your victim. Generally, the maximum amount of restitution is $15,000. However, the court may increase the amount to more than $15,000 to cover the amount of the victim's medical expenses. Furthermore, you will also have to pay a fee to the company charged with collecting the restitution from you.

If you do not pay a fine, fee or restitution, you may be charged with a misdemeanor and sent to prison for up to a year, your wages may be garnished or the state of New York may obtain a judgment against you. However, if you cannot pay the judge may adjust the payment terms, lower the amount you must pay, or revoke the part of the sentencing requiring you to pay.

As part of the criminal process the prosecutor may request and the judge may grant an Order of Protection in favor of the victim. In simple terms, an Order of Protection is a court order requiring you to stay away from another person. Such orders are usually very specific about what you cannot do and what you must do. For example, an Order of Protection may state that you are not permitted to go near the victim, the victim's children or the victim's place of employment. If you live with the victim, you may be ordered to move. If you have children with the victim, you may be ordered to pay child support. If you violate an Order of Protection, you could face additional criminal charges. For example, in People v. Navas, 977 N.Y.S.2d 669 (2013) defendant Manuel Navas, who was already facing criminal charges based on an incident of domestic violence against his wife, was arrested and charged with criminal contempt in the second degree based on violation of an Order of Protection issued against him on behalf of his wife.

However, if you do not believe that an Order of Protection is warranted, then there are ways to fight such an order to get it vacated.

Regardless of what your sentence is, if you are convicted of assault in the second degree you will have to live with having a criminal record which will negatively impact several aspects of your life. With a simple background check a potential employer will quickly learn that you were convicted of assault. As a result, you may lose many opportunities. In fact, a criminal record is likely to prevent you pursuing a career in the military, childcare, education, security, nursing, and home healthcare. In addition, there are schools that will deny you admission if you have a criminal record.

While it may not seem like a big deal to get into a fight, it is a big deal to be arrested for assault. If you are convicted you will be sent to prison and spend several years away from your family and friends. However, there may be defenses to a charge of assault in the second degree that only an experienced practitioner will understand and be able to effectively apply to your case. Thus, if you have been arrested for assault in the second degree it is important to immediately contact someone who understands the New York criminal system. The staff at Stephen Bilkis & Associates, PLLC has years of experience successfully defending clients in New York criminal courts who have been charged with assault in the second degree as well as other assault crimes. Contact us at 800.696.9529 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation regarding your case. We serve those accused of assault in the following locations:

• Bronx
• Brooklyn
• Long Island
• Manhattan
• Nassau County
• New York City
• Queens
• Staten Island
• Suffolk County
• Westchester County