Assault on a Peace Officer Charge Dismissed

A Battery occurs whenever one person touches another without consent. A Battery can be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony. The amount of injury to the victim will usually decide whether the case is charged as a felony or a misdemeanor. Here is one client’s experience facing a battery charge in Orange County:

“I was charged with Assault on a Peace Officer (Penal Code Section 241(b)); Battery on an Officer(Penal Code Section 243(b))and Resisting Arrest (Penal Code Section 148(a) (1)). These charges occurred as a result of an altercation I got into with a Police Officer in Orange County. I was looking at up to one year in jail for these offenses. I hired William W. Bruzzo to represent me because of his reputation and his familiarity with the courts in Orange County. I told Mr. Bruzzo that not only did I not assault the officer in question but that he assaulted me without reason or provocation. I realized that for the most part it would be my word against the officer’s. Mr. Bruzzo took my case and began investigating the officer by filing motions which requested the personnel records of the officer in question. The County of Orange fought to keep the records from being revealed but Mr. Bruzzo won in the end. The personnel records of the officer in question revealed that he had had problems with violence in the past. Mr. Bruzzo used this information in his negotiations with the District Attorney. In the end, the District Attorney agreed to DISMISS all the charges against me! I am very grateful to Mr. Bruzzo for his work and I would enthusiastically recommend him for any criminal matter.” ~ WR, 01/15/2010