A man in Minnesota was recently accused of striking the face of a legislative candidate while they were discussing politics on a Friday night. The man now faces both felony and misdemeanor charges in connection with the incident. However, just because a person is formally accused of felonies or misdemeanors does not mean that he or she is automatically guilty. Instead, the person is presumed innocent unless and until his or her guilt is proved in a court of law.
Authorities said that the man, 53 years old, was at a bar at the time of the incident. While sitting on a bar stool, he was reportedly talking politics with a House candidate. During their discussion, the man on the bar stool allegedly punched the candidate after the candidate apparently made comments regarding the middle class.
The legislative candidate claimed that he fell backward and that his head struck the floor. The incident reportedly caused the candidate to lose consciousness. The man who police said punched the candidate now faces a felony count of assault in the third degree, as well as two misdemeanor counts of assault in the fifth degree.
The man has the right to proceed to trial to vigorously fight the felonies and misdemeanors charged. Prosecutors must be able to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt before a conviction can happen. However, the defendant may choose to pursue a plea deal with prosecutors instead, as this might lead to a lighter sentence than what would be imposed following a guilty verdict at trial. Either way, an attorney in Minnesota can help the defendant to secure the best outcome given the facts of his criminal case.