A man in Minnesota was recently accused of punching another individual outside of a political rally in mid-October. He now faces a charge of felony assault in the third degree. However, like any other individuals accused of felonies, he is presumed innocent unless prosecutors can prove his guilt in a court of law.
In the recent case of alleged assault, police said they used video to pinpoint the 31-year-old man accused of attacking another individual at the rally. The man ended up surrendering to authorities on a recent Monday. He is now in jail on a bond of $40,000.
The individual who was punched, a 22-year-old man, reportedly told authorities that he had to receive multiple stitches as a result of the punch. The attack allegedly happened when the victim was leaving the rally. The videos that led to the arrest of the older man came from news organizations that posted them on social media sites. The man has previous assault convictions as well as convictions for making terrorist-related threats and causing property damage.
People who are accused of felonies in Minnesota have the right to go to trial, where they can vigorously fight these charges. If the prosecution cannot prove every element of these charges beyond a reasonable doubt — a challenging feat — then the defendant cannot be convicted. A criminal defense attorney will look for weaknesses in the prosecution’s argument, including in the evidence obtained, with the aim of achieving the most personally favorable outcome for the defendant.