Dothan police charge Ozark woman with felony assault

In Alabama, when a heated disagreement turns into a physical confrontation, criminal charges can follow. If the fight results in a serious injury to one of the participants, the charges can carry harsh punishment.

That’s the situation an Ozark woman faces after her recent arrest for felony assault in the first degree. Police say the 36-year-old assaulted another woman on Atlanta Street, leaving the other woman with permanent damage to an eye and her face.

Although the Dothan Eagle didn’t report on the reasons for the fight, it’s known that in our state, a charge of felony assault in the first degree can requires that the alleged perpetrator had not only the intent to cause serious physical injury, but also caused such an injury with a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument.

Another situation in which the charge might be filed is when someone causes injury to another person, leaving that person either permanently or seriously disfigured.

Were any of these conditions met in this case? It’s impossible to tell from a newspaper article. That could be determined only after an investigation by police and prosecutors, but also by an examination of the facts and evidence by an experienced criminal defense attorney.

The same type of inquiry should take place in a case also recently reported on by the Eagle, in which a 40-year-old Webb man was arrested. He’s accused of repeatedly stabbing another man with a barbeque fork on Naomi Drive.

While it’s easy for readers to decide on cases from a quick glance at a short article in the newspaper, those charged with these serious crimes should understand that the criminal justice system moves slower and with more deliberation.

The accused don’t need to prevail in the court of public opinion, but rather in a court of law.

Source: Dothan Eagle, “Dothan police make arrest in felony assault,” Nov. 25, 2013