Ridgefield Resisting Arrest Lawyer
Resisting arrest by a police officer is a serious allegation in the State of Connecticut that can come alone or alongside other charges.
A qualified Ridgefield resisting arrest lawyer could examine the circumstances that led to you being detained and help you establish what really happened.
How Do Courts Prosecute Resisting Arrest?
One of many things that can make arrests for resisting arrest confusing is that, technically speaking, “resisting arrest” is not referred to anywhere in the Connecticut General Statutes by those exact terms. Instead, individuals accused of resisting arrest generally face charges of “Interfering with an Officer” under Connecticut General Statutes §53a-167a, as a Ridgefield resisting arrest attorney could explain in more detail.
Interfering with an Officer can be either a class A misdemeanor or a class D felony offense, depending on whether the alleged conduct in question results in another person’s serious injury or death. This means that a conviction for the lesser version of this offense could result in up to a year of jail time and a $2,000 fine, while a conviction for felony interference with an officer is punishable by a maximum of five years in prison plus a fine of up to $5,000.
What Exactly is Interfering with an Officer?
Unfortunately, the frustratingly vague definition this section of state law provides for this offense is another element of resisting arrest cases that makes them difficult to fight back against alone. Under this statute, any behavior that a police officer believes has inhibited them from performing their job duties or endangered them in any way could constitute grounds for a criminal charge, from pushing or kicking an officer away to moving in a way that makes it hard for an officer to keep their grip, or even spitting on or verbally abusing an officer.
Can I Defend Against Resisting Arrest Allegations?
Importantly, a person enforcing their rights under state law and the U.S. Constitution cannot constitute valid grounds for a resisting arrest charge, even if doing so seems to prevent an officer from attempting to perform their duties. This means that even a person is arrested for refusing to allow a police officer into their residence without a valid warrant or for refusing to submit to a field sobriety test, a resisting arrest lawyer in Ridgefield could work to ensure they are not convicted for interfering with an officer in court.
In other situations, it can be helpful to obtain as much video, photo, and testimonial evidence of the encounter the defendant had with the officer who arrested them, which could entail bringing witnesses into court and subpoenaing surveillance camera and/or police body camera footage. However, since this kind of evidence is often lost or deleted quickly, it is imperative to retain legal counsel and start building a defense to resisting arrest charges as quickly as possible.
A Ridgefield Resisting Arrest Attorney Could Help
Hiring a skilled Ridgefield resisting arrest lawyer could make a tremendous difference in how your case plays out and what your future prospects look like after it ends. Call today for a private consultation with one of the five star rated lawyers at Mark Sherman Law. To learn more, head over to Avvo.com.