When a crowd becomes disorderly, chaos may ensue, and those involved may react in unpredictable ways. At times, it may be difficult to determine when someone is acting or merely reacting to the situation. The motives behind someone’s behaviors may be considered as part of a criminal defense strategy if the incident leads to an arrest. One Omaha woman was recently arrested during a melee that has some questioning the actions of a police officer.
Police responded to reports of a fight and arrived to find a large crowd gathered around a man who was cursing and shouting at another person. The man’s girlfriend was reportedly holding his hand and refused to let go when police attempted to take him into custody. One officer apparently pushed her hand away, but the 24-year-old woman allegedly refused to back away despite police shouting for her to move back.
A video of the incident shows a female police officer stepping toward the woman and shoving her backward. The woman lost her balance and fell to the ground but continued to curse loudly at the officers. Police reports say the woman got back to her feet and punched a man who was in the crowd. She was subsequently arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and third degree assault.
In tense situations such as this, one may react with emotion instead of reason. Additionally, alcohol may fuel tempers and cause people to behave irrationally. Those in Omaha who find themselves facing charges of assault or similar offenses will certainly benefit from legal counsel, especially if the incident involves an altercation with police. An attorney can provide a strong criminal defense in an effort to bring about the best possible outcome.
Source: wowt.com, “Woman shoved by officer arrested on several charges”, Aug. 28, 2017