Criminal Law Specialist Near Me in Washington D.C. | Simple Assault and Alleged Joint Assault Case Resulting in Non Prosecution

The client visited the complainant’s place of business accompanied by another acquaintance in order to request repayment of money previously lent. 

During a heated verbal exchange, the client struck the complainant’s cheek and jaw with an open hand, after which the situation temporarily de escalated. 

Approximately one hour later, the accompanying individual separately struck the complainant on the head during a renewed argument. 

The complainant submitted a six hour audio recording of the day’s events, and investigators initially suggested that both acts could be charged as joint assault under District law. 

Under D.C. Code § 22-404, simple assault consists of an intentional act that places another person in reasonable apprehension of an imminent harmful or offensive contact, even without serious injury. 

Joint criminal liability in the District requires proof that two or more individuals knowingly acted together pursuant to a shared intent or agreement, as reflected in D.C. Code § 22-1805a and related case law. 

Mere presence at the scene or separate, uncoordinated acts do not automatically establish joint assault liability under Washington D.C. law. 

Defense counsel conducted a detailed analysis of the six hour audio recording and established that the client’s physical act and the third party’s conduct were separated by approximately one hour. 

This temporal gap undermined any claim of a shared opportunity, mutual awareness, or coordinated criminal purpose.

Counsel argued that the evidence failed to satisfy the District’s standard for accomplice or joint liability, limiting potential exposure to a single count of simple assault attributable solely to the client. 

Although joint assault is not dependent on victim consent under D.C. law, simple assault may be resolved through prosecutorial discretion when the complaining witness expresses no desire to proceed. 

Counsel initiated settlement communications on behalf of the client, carefully avoiding direct contact between the parties. The strategy included a factual explanation of the incident, acknowledgment of responsibility for the isolated conduct, a formal apology, and assurances of non recurrence. 

As a result, the complainant submitted a written statement declining prosecution. 

• Alleged joint assault

: No probable cause, no charges filed 

• Simple assault

: Non prosecution decision based on prosecutorial discretion following the complainant’s expressed intent not to proceed.

The client avoided arrest, trial, and any criminal record, underscoring the importance of evidence driven defense and lawful negotiation strategies under D.C. criminal law.