DC Assault Investigations
Assault investigations in DC include mostly police entities, as well as prosecutors at the US Attorney’s office who coordinate efforts with police officers to gather evidence, interview witnesses, and determine next steps for prosecuting an assault case. Different kinds of assault cases can have different kinds and different qualities of an investigation. If you are undergoing an investigation for assault charges in DC, it would be helpful to have a DC assault lawyer by your side to protect your rights.
Investigation Process
DC assault investigations are, in the beginning, mostly conducted by police officers, which would include Metropolitan Police Departments or any of the other multiple police or law enforcement agencies that exist in DC. That can be Capitol Police, Park Police, Secret Service, FBI, Central Protection Bureau, Metro Transit Police, or on certain occasions, University Police Departments if the case involves or took place on a university campus.
The investigations for simple assault in DC can sometimes include investigating one or two witnesses at the scene of the assault and making a quick arrest right on the scene. An entire investigation could last a matter of minutes and would not be anything beyond speaking to a couple of witnesses.
Felony Investigations
Felony assault investigations in DC could be more in-depth and can include medical information on an alleged victim’s injury, more involved crime scene analysis, including DNA testing of blood or other bodily fluid, and searches for video surveillance evidence for multiple chances of the scene or possible witnesses. These investigations would typically be been done by police officers that then could be continued with the assistance of prosecutors with the US Attorney’s office.
Evidence Collected
In a misdemeanor simple assault case, the evidence can sometimes be limited to the testimony of just one or maybe two witnesses. Sometimes the testimony of an alleged victim alone can be enough to secure a conviction. However, a prosecutor does need to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt, meaning that a judge needs to be convinced beyond a reasonable doubt as to the credibility of the alleged victim’s version of the event. In situations where evidence in the simple assault case is limited to the statements or the testimony of one alleged victim, it is the case an aggressive defense lawyer can come to question the credibility or the reliability of that sole witness.
Sometimes there is video surveillance footage in simple assault cases. The most common situation in which this happens is simple assault cases that are the results of bar fights. Bars, nightclubs, and restaurants in DC frequently have surveillance cameras in certain locations that can capture assaults that take place or fights that take place in their establishments. Sometimes those surveillance cameras can capture an alleged crime being committed. That is not the case in every assault case that takes place in a bar, but those are the situations where video surveillance footage is most frequently used as evidence in an assault case.
Felony Cases Evidence
More serious felony assault cases see evidence, such as medical reports, DNA testing, fingerprints, and more extensive witness interviews more often than simple assault case. This is because the prosecutors have many more things to prove in felony assault cases than in simple assault cases. There is an additional element that needs to be proven in felony assault cases that requires additional types of evidence like DNA or physical evidence like additional witnesses to be able to move up the entirety of felony assault cases.
Contact an Experienced DC Assault Attorney Today
The penalties associated with assault can be extremely serious. If under investigation, it is important to get in touch with a DC assault attorney right away. An experienced attorney will help you understand each step of the investigation and make sure none of your rights are violated. Please contact our office today.