Violent Crime Defense
Crimes of violence in Houston are taken very seriously by law enforcement and the district attorney’s office. If you are convicted of a crime of violence, you could have lengthy punishment and serious consequences. These blowbacks from a violent crime conviction can include possible jail or prison time, high fines, permanent criminal record, inability to own or possess a firearm, and ineligibility to work in certain professions or occupations.
If you or a loved one has been charged with a violent crime, it is important to hire experienced legal counsel to avoid having a criminal conviction on your record. The prosecutor has the burden to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you committed every element of the property offense. If, during trial, your attorney is able to raise a reasonable doubt in the minds of the jury, you would be found not guilty. If there is evidence that you committed the crime, your attorney may still be able to persuade the prosecutor to reduce the charge or agree to a pathway to having the case dismissed.
Therefore, it is critical to hire an experienced criminal defense attorney in Houston who will work hard to help you obtain the best outcome for your case.
Houston Violent Crimes Lawyer
If you have been accused of committing a violent crime offense in Houston, Atascocita, Baytown, Bellaire, Clear Lake, Channelview, Conroe, Cypress, Deer Park, Friendswood, Galena Park, Humble, Jersey Village, Katy, La Porte, League City, Missouri City, Pasadena, Pearland, Richmond, South Houston, Spring, Sugar Land, Texas City, Tomball, Webster, The Woodlands, and other communities in Harris County, Fort Bend County, and Montgomery County, contact James G. Sullivan and Associates.
Attorney James Sullivan is very knowledgeable in all of Texas’ violent crime laws and is experienced in defending people accused of breaking violent crime laws, including family violence. He will work hard to fight the allegations against you. Call James G. Sullivan and Associates for a free initial consultation at (281) 546-6428 about your violent crime charges.
Crimes of Violence in Harris County
A person can be charged with a crime of violence in Houston if they commit any of the following offenses:
According to Texas Penal Code Sec. 22.01, a person can be charged with assault if he:
- Intentionally, knowingly or recklessly causes bodily injury to another, including the person’s spouse;
- Intentionally or knowingly threatens to cause bodily injury to another, including the person’s spouse; of
- Intentionally or knowingly causes physical contact with another person in a manner he knows or should reasonably believe the person will regard as offensive or provocative.
A conviction for assault can result in a Class C, B or A misdemeanor, or felony of the third degree or second degree.
According to Texas Penal Code Sec. 22.02, a person can be charged with aggravated assault if he commits an assault and causes serious bodily injury to another person or commits the assault with a deadly weapon. Aggravated assault is also referred to as assault with a deadly weapon. A conviction for aggravated assault is generally punishable as a felony of the second or first degree.
According to Texas Penal Code Sec. 1.07(a)(46), “serious bodily injury” means bodily injury that creates a substantial risk of death or that causes death, serious permanent disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ.
According to Texas Penal Code Sec. 20.02, a person can be charged with unlawful restraint if he intentionally or knowingly restrains another person against their will. Depending on the circumstances, a conviction for this offense can result in a Class A misdemeanor, state jail felony or felony of the third degree.
According to Texas Penal Code Sec. 20.03, a person can be charged with kidnapping if he intentionally or knowingly abducts another person against their will. A conviction for this offense can result in a felony of the third degree.
According to Texas Penal Code Sec. 22.05, a person can be charged with deadly conduct if he:
- recklessly engages in conduct that places another in imminent danger of serious bodily injury, or
- knowingly discharges a firearm at or in the direction of one or more individuals or a habitation, building, or vehicle.
A conviction for deadly conduct can result in a Class A misdemeanor or felony of the third degree.
According to Texas Penal Code Sec. 19.02, a person can be charged with murder if he:
- intentionally or knowingly causes the death of another person;
- causes the death of another person, but only intended to cause that person serious bodily injury; or
- causes the death of another person during the commission of a felony offense or attempts to commit a felony offense. This offense is also referred to as felony murder.
A conviction for this offense is usually punishable as a felony of the first degree. It could be punishable as a felony of the second degree if, at the punishment stage of a trial, the defense raises and proves that the accused caused the death under the immediate influence of sudden passion arising from an adequate cause.
According to Texas Penal Code Sec. 19.04, a person can be charged with manslaughter if he recklessly causes the death of another person. A conviction for this offense is punishable as a felony of the second degree.
According to Texas Penal Code Sec. 19.05, a person can be charged with criminally negligent homicide if he causes the death of an individual through criminal negligence. A conviction for this offense is usually punishable as a state jail felony, but can be enhanced to a felony of the third degree if a deadly weapon (such as a vehicle) was used.
Definition of Mental States in Texas
Most violent crimes in Houston generally require the alleged offender to have some element of intent or knowledge they were committing the offense. In order to convict the alleged offender at trial, the prosecutor must prove beyond a reasonable doubt the alleged offender had the intent to commit the crime, knowledge they were committing the offense, acted recklessly when committing the crime, or acted with criminal negligence. These elements are subjective and may be difficult for the prosecutor to prove, as they are not established by hard evidence and are different for every person.
According to Texas Penal Code Sec. 6.03, these mental states defined as follows:
Intentionally – A person acts intentionally, or with intent, if he commits a crime and he has the conscious objective or desire to engage in the conduct or cause the result of the conduct.
Knowingly – A person acts knowingly, or with knowledge, if he commits a crime and is aware his conduct is reasonably certain to cause the result of their conduct.
Recklessly – A person acts recklessly, or is reckless, when he commits a crime if he is aware of the risk surrounding his conduct or the results thereof, but consciously disregards the risk the result will occur.
Negligence – A person acts with criminal negligence when he commits a crime if he ought to be aware of the risk surrounding his conduct or the results thereof. Note: criminal negligence is not the same as simple negligence used in the civil court system; criminal negligence is commonly referred to as gross negligence.
Houston Violent Crime Punishment
Chapter 12 of the Texas Penal Code lists the punishment for violent crimes. However, the punishment range an offender faces depends on the severity of the offense, whether a deadly weapon was used in the commission of the offense, whether serious bodily injury or death resulted from the offense, whether the alleged offender has any previous criminal conviction, and whether the victim was an elderly or disabled person. The general punishment for most violent crimes are listed below.
A conviction for a Class C misdemeanor property crime is punishable by a fine up to $500.
A conviction for a Class B misdemeanor property crime is punishable by a jail sentence up to 180 days and or a fine up to $2,000.
A conviction for a Class A violent crime is punishable by a jail sentence up to one year and or a fine up to $4,000.
A conviction for a state jail felony violent crime is punishable by a jail sentence ranging from 180 days to two years and a fine up to $10,000.
A conviction for a felony of the third degree violent crime is punishable by a prison sentence ranging from two to ten years and a fine up to $10,000.
A conviction for a felony of the second degree violent crime is punishable by a prison sentence ranging from two to 20 years and a fine up to $10,000.
A conviction for a felony of the first degree violent crime is punishable by a prison sentence ranging from five to 99 years or life imprisonment and a fine up to $10,000.
Defenses to Houston Violent Crimes
Chapter 9 of the Texas Penal Code lists the defenses in Texas that may be available to people charged with violent crimes in Houston, however these defense do not apply to every case. To determine whether any defense applies in your specific situation, it is important to consult with an experienced criminal defense attorney.
Defense of Third Person – This defense may be available in a situation where the alleged offender used reasonable force against another person to defend a third party, or where they thought the other person was going to seriously injure the third person.
Defense of Property – An alleged offender may be able to claim this defense if they used reasonable force, including deadly force, to prevent the other person from entering their home, vehicle or place of business or employment, or to prevent another person from fleeing with their property.
Justification – It is a defense to prosecution that the conduct in question is justified under this chapter.
Lack of Mental State – A person may not have had the required mental state, or did not act intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly when allegedly committing the violent crime.
Self-Defense – Self-defense may apply in situations where the alleged offender used necessary force to protect himself from another person’s attack, or if they thought another person was going to cause them serious bodily injury or death.
Threats as Justifiable Force – The threat of force is justified when the use of force is justified by this chapter. A threat to cause death or serious bodily injury by the production of a weapon or otherwise, as long as the actor’s purpose is limited to creating an apprehension that he will use deadly force if necessary, does not constitute the use of deadly force.
James G. Sullivan and Associates | Houston Violent Crime Attorney
Contact James G. Sullivan today at (281) 546-6428 for a free initial consultation about your alleged violent crime in Harris County, Fort Bend County, or Waller County, Texas. James Sullivan is an experienced Harris County violent crime attorney who gets proven results. Sullivan has won violent crime cases at trial, worked to get the felony cases no billed (dismissed) by the grand jury and persuaded the prosecutor to dismiss many more.
Since 1994, Houston Criminal Lawyer James Sullivan has worked to get many felony cases no billed by the Grand Jury. These felony cases include Sexual Assault of a Child, Attempted Murder, Aggravated Robbery, Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child, Aggravated Assault, Assault Family Member by Impeding Breathing (choking), Forgery, Injury to a Child, Evading Arrest by Motor Vehicle and Burglary of a Habitation. The graph below lists just those felony cases that were no billed since November 2008.
Certainly, each case is different. Similar results may not be obtained in your case and past performance is no guarantee of future results. Note that these are only examples of the cases Sullivan has handled.
| CHARGE | ACCUSATION AND RESULT | COURT |
| 2022 CASE RESULTS | ||
| Murder | Case dismissed on 10/28/22. This has to be a first – a juvenile client’s murder charge and subsequent dismissal order were filed on the same day! Client had been in juvenile detention 6 weeks. The DA’s office had 30 business days from the first detention hearing to file the murder charge. Sullivan was hired 10 days after the client was arrested and had 2 detention hearings. Even though Sullivan’s witnesses testified and presented video evidence that proved the client was elsewhere at the time of the shooting and also pointed out that the identifying evidence was weak and the photo lineup was tainted, two different judges refused to release him from detention. On the morning of October 28, the DA’s office filed a murder charge. Sullivan immediately asked all available evidence. The chief prosecutor assigned to the case reviewed the evidence Sullivan had presented in the hearings as well as the State’s file, and then did the right thing. He filed a dismissal order and asked the detention court to release the client. A juvenile detention employee said he had never seen anything like it in his 22 years of work. | 314 |
| Aggravated Assault of a Family Member | Case dismissed by the Grand Jury on 10/07/22. Client was falsely accused of threatening to shoot his wife with a handgun. | 232nd |
| Terroristic Threat | DA’s office declined charges on 10/05/22. Young juvenile and autistic client was accused of threatening to shoot a classmate and her family. Sullivan has forced the State to dismiss similar cases in the past on the eve of Sullivan setting the cases for trial, and his intervention in this case led to the State’s decision to do the right thing. | Juv |
| Assault of a Family Member by Choking | Case dismissed by the Grand Jury on 09/29/2022. Client was falsely accused of choking his 15 year old son. | 232nd |
| Assault of a Family Member | Case dismissed on 09/20/22. Client was falsely accused of attacking her ex-girlfriend in her ex’s apartment when she went with her mother to retrieve her belongings. This same ex falsely accused the client of breaking into her apartment and attacking her right after Xmas. Sullivan got that case in the 179th dismissed on 03/15/22. | 10 |
| Assault of a Family Member | Case dismissed on 09/16/22 right before Sullivan set the case for a trial. Client was accused of striking her husband when in fact he was the abuser. | 12 |
| Assault of a Family Member | Case dismissed on 09/15/22 right before Sullivan set the case for a trial. Client was accused of hitting his wife while he was driving. | 5 |
| Assault of a Family Member as 2nd Offender | Case dismissed on 08/30/22. Case was filed on 05/14/20. Client missed court date in March 2021 and was arrested on a felony warrant in August 2022. Sullivan was retained a week later and got the case dismissed a few days later. Client was accused of pushing his girlfriend to the floor. Client was previously convicted of choking the same girlfriend 5 years before. | 183rd |
| Assault of a Family Member | Case dismissed on 07/28/22. Client was accused of hitting his girlfriend when it was actually the other way around. | 10 |
| Retaliation against a Police Officer | Case reduced to misdemeanor terroristic threat on 07/28/22. Client was heavily intoxicated at a club, was physically beaten up by security guards when he tried to go back inside for his cell phone. Client was initially arrested for public intoxication, but then after the officer turned off his BWC in the processing section of the jail the officer claims client threatened to kick his butt if he ever saw him on the street. It was clear the officer was antagonistic towards the client during the 45 minute video but client chose not to risk a possible felony conviction at trial. | 176th |
| Terroristic Threat | Juvenile charges declined by DA’s office on 07/05/2022. Client was accused of sending a threatening online message to a girl in school. Sullivan spoke with police detective several times and explained why there was no probable cause to charge his client, and ultimately the DA’s office agreed. | |
| Assault of a Family Member | Case dismissed on 06/30/2022, one week before the jury trial. Client was accused of injuring his girlfriend when she was trying to snatch his cellphone from his hand. | 7 |
| Interfering with Emergency Call | Case dismissed on 06/23/2022. Client was accused of breaking his wife’s phone so she couldn’t call 911. | 4 |
| Aggravated Assault of a Family Member | Case dismissed by the Grand Jury on 06/14/2022. Client was accused of trying to run over his wife with his pickup truck and her son claimed to be a witness. | 482nd |
| Assault of a Family Member | Case dismissed on 06/09/2022. Client was accused of hitting the father of her child. | 7 |
| Aggravated Assault of a Family Member & Assault of a Family Member by Choking | Aggravated Assault case dismissed and Choking case reduced to a misdemeanor assault of a family member with deferred adjudication on 04/19/22. The case was about to be set for a jury trial. The Client was accused of choking his girlfriend and causing her to suffer hip and pelvis fractures. The Client defended himself when his girlfriend pulled a gun on him. | 351st |
| Unlawful Restraint | Case dismissed on 04/12/2022. Client was accused of holding his girlfriend against her will. | 13 |
| Injury to the Disabled | Case dismissed on 04/11/2022. Client was accused of injuring her abusive ex-husband. | 177th |
| Assault of a Police Officer | Case dismissed on 03/22/2022. Teenage client was accused of kicking a police officer in the chest. | 338th |
| Assault of a Pregnant Family Member | Case dismssed on 02/16/2022, the day before trial. Client was accused of choking his pregnant sister. | 209th |
| Burglary of a Habitation with intent to commit Assault | No Probable Cause found on 01/18/2022. Sullivan persuaded the Judge to find No PC against his female client who was invited to her girlfriend’s apartment, was attacked by her girlfriend, and was lied on by her girlfriend afterwards. The State dismissed the felony charge on 03/15/2022. | 179th |
| Assault of a Family Member | Case dismissed on 01/04/2022. Client was accused of striking his girlfriend. | 13 |
| 2021 CASE RESULTS | ||
| Injury to a Child (2 cases) | Cases dismissed by the Grand Jury on 11/30/2021. Client was accused of injuring her children by spanking them. | 183rd |
| Assault of a Family Member | Case dismissed on 10/07/2021, a few days before trial. Client was charged with a felony injury to a child and a misdemeanor family violence from the same incident in 2020. The felony case was dismissed on 05/27/2021, the county criminal court prosecutors refused to dismiss the family violence charge, so I set it for a jury trial. The complainant, his wife, already admitted that she was drunk the night her daughter lied and said client had knocked her down. The complainant then went after the Client who pushed her back in self defense. | 16 |
| Assault of a Family Member by Choking | Case dismissed on 10/05/2021 by chief prosecutor after she read the grand jury defense packet. My client was very drunk, depressed and feeling suicidal the night he and his husband discussed the problems in their marriage. His spouse called 911 for mental health intervention. The police show up, and arrested my client on false charges. | 183rd |
| Assault of a Family Member by Choking | Case dismissed on 10/04/2021, the day of trial. Client and his wife have been in an arranged marriage for 30 years. The wife made up the accusations, presumably as a pretext for divorce, however their own teenage children were witnesses to the non-event and were prepared to testify in support of their father. | 228nd |
| Aggravated Robbery | Case dismissed by the Grand Jury on 09/24/2021. Client, a store owner, was accused of attacking and stealing money from a thieving customer when it was just the opposite. The thief repeatedly fed the gaming machines a laminated $100 bill, yanked it back out, and then requested a fraudulent refund from the temporary store clerk who was working alone. When the owner and the clerk confronted the thief at a machine the next day, the thief attacked the owner and the clerk defended him. The thief escaped and claimed the owner had robbed him of the money he had “honestly won.” The police did a brief and shoddy investigation. The thief actually had the gall to hire a lawyer to sue the store owner. | 208th |
| Aggravated Assault of a Police Officer | Case reduced to felony Deadly Conduct with deferred adjudication probation on 09/22/2021. The night the curfew was lifted after Hurricane Harvey in September 2017, Client and his friend went out to eat and then shoot off some steam. A few blocks from home around one in the morning, client slowly drove down an empty street and fired a pistol grip AK-47 several times into the air. An AK-47 fires a hypersonic round and the sound waves made by the round can make someone within earshot believe they were being shot at. Unbeknownst to them, 3 HPD K-9 cops in separate SUVs were parked over a 100 yards away on the other side of a hedgerow and tall fencing. As soon as they passed, the cops came after them. Client drove slowly to his house with the hazard lights on. The cops claimed they were being shot at. Client and his friend did not know they were there. After 4 years and multiple trial settings, the DA’s office finally agreed to do the right thing. | 263rd |
| Unlawful Installation of Tracking Device | Case dismissed on 09/16/2021. Client was accused of installing a tracking device (a Sprint Drive primarily used as a wireless hotspot) in his baby mama’s car in October 2020 while the aggravated assault charge was still pending. Fortunately, about two weeks before that, my client returned from out of town and found that his truck was burglarized and the Sprint Drive and two phones were stolen. He called the police and a report was made. The complainant tried to set my client up and failed miserably. | 14 |
| Aggravated Assault of a Family Member | Case dismissed on 09/16/2021. Client was accused of threatening his baby’s mama with a knife. The complainant has mental problems, and took out her frustrations on my client. Case was originally filed right after the March 2020 quarantine. | 262nd |
| Assault of a Family Member | Case dismissed on 09/07/2021. Client accused of hitting his girlfriend, and then running away while in handcuffs. The State agreed to dismiss the family violence charge, and the client pled guilty to time served on the misdemeanor escape charge. | 1 |
| Aggravated Assault of a Police Officer | Case dismissed on 09/02/2021. Client accused of striking police officer with his car door as he sped off and was later also charged with evading by motor vehicle. Client had a felony drug history. Sullivan pressured the State to dismiss the aggravated assault and let his client go to the judge for punishment at a PSI hearing on the evading charge. The judge granted client probation. | 180th |
| Burglary of habitation to commit Assault | Case dismissed on 08/31/2021. Client was accused of forcing his way into his boyfriend’s apartment to attack him. | 180th |
| Burglary of habitation to commit Assault | Case dismissed by the Grand Jury on 08/25/2021. Client was accused of trying to force her way into her ex-boyfriend’s apartment to attack his new girlfriend. However, her ex and the new girlfriend lied to the police. Her ex has a lengthy criminal record. | 263rd |
| Assault of a Police Officer | Case dismissed on 07/15/2021. Client accused of attacking an off duty policeman who worked security at a bar. | 351st |
| Violation of a Protective Order | Case dismissed on 07/09/2021. Client was at least the 4th or 5th man accused of family violence in two different counties by a mentally unstable nympho that goes from failed sexual relationship to failed sexual relationship. When she’s bored with one guy, she seduces a new guy. She then accuses the first guy of family violence and gets a protective order in order to get him out of the picture. My client’s family violence case was dismissed on 11/03/2020, and now his felony violation of protective order is dismissed. | 209th |
| Aggravated Robbery | Case dismissed on 07/08/2021, one month before trial. Client accused of robbing a guy for his cellphone outside a Kroger store. Client was mistaken for his twin brother. | 182nd |
| Aggravated Robbery | Juvenile client received a pretrial diversion on 06/29/2021. Client was accused of acting as a lookout on an armed robbery of a business with three adult co-actors. When he completes the diversion program, the case will be dismissed. Client also has football scholarship offers across the country, and will be able to play football in college once he completes the pretrial diversion. | 315th |
| Assault of a Family Member | Case dismissed on 06/29/2021. Client was accused of attacking his wife on his wedding night. | 1 |
| Arson (2 cases) | Juvenile client received a pretrial diversion on 06/28/2021. Client was accused of setting a car on fire and on a later date trying to set a house on fire. The DA’s office was strongly opposed to the deferred, but I believe the judge did the right thing. Client was brought here as a toddler and was not yet an American citizen. If not granted a pretrial diversion, client could be deported back to a country where he knows no one and does not speak the language. When he completed the diversion program 6 months later, the felony cases were dismissed. | 313th |
| Aggravated Assault of a Family Member | Case dismissed by the Grand Jury on 06/10/2021. Client was accused of striking her former roommate with a board. However the former roommate, a large and strong butch woman in the LGBTQ community, was the aggressor and put the client in a chokehold. Client had to fight for her life. The former roommate had bipolar disorder, self medicated with alcohol and drugs, and had a history of stealing and detroying property of other roommates and then playing the victim. The police did a minimal investigation and chose to believe the former roommate over the client, the actual victim. | 338th |
| Assault of a Family Member by Choking | Case dismissed on 05/28/2021. Client was accused of choking his wife who was highly intoxicated. The allegations were false. His wife attacked him and then threw his young daughter down who had tried to separate them. Client restrained his wife to protect his child. Her young son called the police. As a result of the false allegation and the wife’s alcoholism, the couple divorced. | 351st |
| Injury to a Child | Case dismissed on 05/27/2021. Client was accused of injuring his stepdaughter. Client and his wife fell off the wagon during the pandemic. One day while his wife was highly intoxicated, the stepdaughter got mad because Client made her do her chores. The stepdaughter then lied to her mother and said Client knocked her down. Her mother flew into a rage and went after Client. | 337th |
| Assault of a Family Member by Choking | Case reduced to misdemeanor with deferred adjudication probation on 05/13/21. If client had not said what he did to the police, the result may have been better. | 339th |
| Assault of a Family Member | Case dismissed on 05/10/2021. Client was accused of attacking her husband while she was drunk. | 8 |
| Assault of a Family Member | Case dismissed on 04/21/2021. Client was accused of pushing his wife down while he was drunk. | 12 |
| Assault of a Family Member | Case dismissed on 04/05/2021. Client was accused of punching his girlfriend outside of his apartment after they returned from a night of drinking. He did not want her to come inside. After he went in and locked the door, she climbed over his second story balcony, entered through the unlocked sliding door, went to the kitchen and grabbed a sharp knife. He had to take it away from her. They made up. She spent the night. The next day she called the police and failed to mention how she herself committed a serious felony by breaking in and grabbing a deadly weapon to threaten or to attack my client. | 7 |
| Assault | Case dismissed on 03/24/2021. Client was accused of slapping a woman at a party at his house. | 13 |
| Aggravated Assault | Juvenile client received a pretrial diversion on 03/22/2021 after a two day hearing. Client scared two girls with an unloaded gun. Client wants to join the Marine Corps. The only way that might be possible is if he could get the felony charge dismissed after completing a pretrial diversion. I worked hard to get another juvenile client that opportunity in 2017, and that former client is now thriving in the Corps, and his mother testified as to how difficult it was to get her son into the Corps with just two misdemeanor convictions. When he completes the diversion program, the case will be dismissed. | 314th |
| Aggravated Assault of a Family Member | Case dismissed on 03/19/2021. Client was accused of trying to run his ex-wife off of the road in January 2019. The allegations were completely false. Due to the pandemic and new prosecutors who were unable to distinguish between a good case and a dog case, my client’s case dragged on much longer than it should have. By the fourth jury trial setting, the last prosecutor finally evaluated the case and dismissed the case. | 351st |
| Assault of a Family Member | Case dismissed on 02/24/2021. Client was accused of striking her adult son while intoxicated. | 8 |
| Terroristic Threat | Case dismissed on 02/10/2021. Client was accused of threatening to kill his girlfriend’s ex-husband. | 10 |
| Assault of a Family Member | Case dismissed on 01/13/2021. Client was accused of knocking his wife down. | 15 |
| Assault of a Family Member | Case dismissed on 01/11/2021. Client was accused of striking his wife. | 10 |
| Assault of a Family Member as a Second Offender | Case dismissed on 01/06/2021. Client accused of striking his live in girlfriend while both were drunk. Client had a prior family violence case against the same girlfriend. | 230th |
| 2020 CASE RESULTS | ||
| Assault of a Family Member | Case dismissed on 12/31/2020. Client was accused of family violence against his wife. | 16 |
| Assault of a Family Member | Case dismissed on 11/04/2020. Client was at least the 4th or 5th man accused of family violence in two different counties by a mentally unstable nympho that goes from failed sexual relationship to failed sexual relationship. When she’s bored with one guy, she seduces a new guy. She then accuses the first guy of family violence and gets a protective order in order to get him out of the picture. My client was falsely accused and the only male victim willing to fight his case at trial. | 1 |
| Aggravated Assault | Case dismissed by Grand Jury on 10/30/2020. Client and his neighbors were tormented for years by an alcoholic neighbor contractor who invited his workers over every Saturday night to get their paychecks and to stay and drink outside for hours on end. The workers blocked driveways, urinated and threw beer bottles in yards. Client asked the contractor to not allow his workers to block his driveway. They did anyway. This was the week of the Black Lives Matter protests when police were preoccupied. Client allegedly fired his gun in the air to get the worker’s attention to move his truck. Since that night, the contractor keeps his workers out of the neighborhood. Client stood up for his neighbors and they are all grateful. | 209th |
| Assault of a Family Member | Case dismissed on 10/15/2020. Client, a soldier in the Army, was falsely accused of assault by his girlfriend outside a bar while passing through town. Sullivan got the case dismissed within 4 days of being hired. Client was about to be sent overseas. | HCCCL 16 |
| Aggravated Assault (2 cases) | Cases reduced on 10/06/2020 to misdemeanor Deadly Conduct with one year of deferred adjudication. Client was accused of driving intoxicated in a bar parking lot and striking two pedestrians. | 262nd |
| Aggravated Assault | Case reduced on 09/04/2020 to misdemeanor Assault with 6 months of pretrial diversion right before trial setting. Client, a 14 year old girl, stabbed another girl in the arm and thigh in self defense after she was about to be jumped for a second time that day. | 314th |
| Assault Family Member by Choking | Case dismissed on 08/20/2020. Client was accused of choking his wife during an argument. The first prosecutor assigned to the case failed to present the defense packet to the grand jury, but then the next prosecutor agreed to do the right thing and dismissed the case. | 174th |
| Assault of a Family Member as a second offender (2 cases) | Cases dismissed by the Grand Jury on 07/30/2020. Client was accused of attacking his two brothers. His case was enhanced with two prior family violence convictions. | 263rd |
| Assault Family Member | Case dismissed on 06/24/2020. Client accused of slapping his wife on two different occasions. | HCCCL 11 |
| Aggravated Assault Family Member | After a punishment hearing on 02/27/2020, Sullivan persuaded the judge to grant deferred adjudication. Client accused of injuring his wife with fire while intoxicated. The DA’s best offer was 4 years TDC. | 337th |
| Assault of a Police Officer | Case dismissed on 01/27/2020. Client accused of kicking a policeman. | 177th |
| Assault Family Member by Choking | Case dismissed on 01/24/2020. Client accused of choking his then girlfriend. | 185th |
| Aggravated Robbery | At a PSI Hearing on 01/22/2020, judge granted deferred adjudication. The State only offered prison time. | 248th |
| Assault of a Police Officer | Case dismissed on 01/08/2020. Juvenile client accused of striking a policewoman. | 314th |
| 2019 CASE RESULTS | ||
| Aggravated Assault Family Member | Case Dismissed by the Grand Jury on 12/16/2019. Client accused of striking her fiancee in the nose, resulting in him needing nasal surgery. | 262nd |
| Assault Family Member | Case Dismissed on 12/04/2019. Client accused of slapping his wife several times. | HCCCL 12 |
| Assault | Case Dismissed on 11/11/2019. Client accused of attacking a classmate at her high school. | HCCCL 16 |
| Assault Family Member | Case Dismissed on 11/07/2019. Client accused of striking her aunt in the face several times after her aunt shot her in the thigh with a shotgun. | HCCCL 12 |
| Motion to Adjudicate on Assault of a Peace Officer and Retaliation | Probation reinstated on 11/06/2019 after client absconded for over 4 months. | 178th |
| Burglary of a Habitation with intent to commit Aggravated Assault | Case reduced to Burglary of a Habitation and client received 5 years deferred adjudication at PSI hearing on 11/04/2019. | 176th |
| Assault Family Member | Case Dismissed on 10/16/2019. Client accused of slapping his wife several times. | HCCCL 4 |
| Assault Family Member | Case Dismissed on 10/16/2019. Client accused of striking his girlfriend in the leg with a metal object. | HCCCL 16 |
| Aggravated Assault Family Member | Case reduced to misdemeanor Terroristic Threat of a Family Member with 1 year deferred adjudication on 10/08/2019. Client threatened to kill his girlfriend. | 228th |
| Assault | Case Dismissed on 10/02/2018. Client accused of punching a physician assistant at CVS Pharmacy. | HCCCL 7 |
| Assault Family Member | Case Dismissed on 09/23/2019. Client accused of pushing his wife down causing her to strike the back of her head on tile flooring. | HCCCL 12 |
| Assault Family Member | Case Dismissed on 09/18/2019. Client accused of striking his wife. | HCCCL 3 |
| Injury to the Elderly | Case Reduced to misdemeanor Assault Family Member with credit for time served in jail on 09/11/2019. Client injured his mother. | 209th |
| Assault Family Member | Case Dismissed on 08/21/2019. Client accused of striking his girlfriend with his hand. | HCCCL 10 |
| Terroristic Threat | Case Dismissed on 08/13/2019. Client accused of threatening his baby mama’s new boyfriend. | HCCCL 15 |
| Criminal Mischief | Case Dismissed on 08/13/2019. Client accused of damaging the car of his baby mama’s new boyfriend. | HCCCL 15 |
| Terroristic Threat | Case Dismissed on 08/13/2019. Client accused of threatening his baby’s mama. | HCCCL 15 |
| Assault Family Member | Case Dismissed on 08/06/2019. Client was accused of striking his girlfriend with his hand. | HCCCL 9 |
| Aggravated Assault with Deadly Weapon | Case reduced to misdemeanor Assault with time served on 07/18/2019. Client accused of threatening a security guard with his vehicle. | 262nd |
| Assault | Case Dismissed on 06/20/2019. Client accused of hitting another fan at a soccer game. | HCCCL 5 |
| Assault Family Member | Case Dismissed on 06/12/2019. Client accused of striking her boyfriend. | HCCCL 1 |
| Aggravated Robbery with Deadly Weapon | Case Dismissed on 06/06/2019. Client was accused of being involved in a bank robbery. | 248th |
| Assault Family Member | Case Dismissed on 05/23/2019. Client accused of striking his father with his hand. | HCCCL 9 |
| Assault Family Member | Found Not Guilty at Jury Trial on 05/15/2019. Client, an Army veteran that served in Afghanistan, and his friend accused of going to his older brother’s apartment early in the morning, breaking in, dragging him outside and attacking him in the driveway. His brother’s pregnant girlfriend claimed she was also injured. After the not guilty, his friend’s assault charge was dismissed. | HCCCL 3 |
| Sexual Assault of Child 14-17 | At PSI Hearing on 05/08/2019, judge granted deferred adjudication. Client confessed to having sex with a 16 year old girl. The DA’s best offer was 13 years TDC. | 263rd |
| Assault Family Member | Case Dismissed on 03/06/2019. Client accused of pushing his girlfriend with his hand. | HCCCL 6 |
| Aggravated Assault with Deadly Weapon | Case Dismissed by the Grand Jury on 03/01/2019. Client accused of threatening another guy with his handgun outside a bar. | 184th |
| Assault Family Member | Case Dismissed on 02/12/2019. Client accused of striking and pushing his girlfriend with his hand. | HCCCL 8 |
| Assault Family Member | Case Dismissed on 01/25/2019. Client accused of striking his wife with his hand. | HCCCL 10 |
| Assault | Case Dismissed on 01/25/2019. Client accused of striking another high school student after that student harassed a female friend in class. | HCCCL 14 |
| 2018 CASE RESULTS | ||
| Interfering with Emergency Telephone Call | Case Dismissed on 12/19/2018. Client accused of stopping girlfriend from calling 911. | HCCCL 6 |
| Assault Family Member by Choking | Case Dismissed by Grand Jury on 12/14/2018. Client was attacked by his baby’s mama and defended himself. | 179th |
| Assault | Case Dismissed on 12/07/2018. Client accused of attacking an AT&T technician that peered over her balcony. | HCCCL 15 |
| Assault | Case Dismissed on 11/30/2018. Client accused of hitting his girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend and baby’s papa. | HCCCL 9 |
| Aggravated Assault with Deadly Weapon | Case Dismissed by Grand Jury on 11/26/2018. Client was accused of “road rage” by ramming complainant’s car through an intersection with his truck, however the complainant had pulled a gun on the accused prior to that. | 185th |
| Assault Family Member with Prior Conviction | Case Dismissed on 11/16/2018. Client was accused of slapping her boyfriend. | 183rd |
| Assault Family Member | Case Dismissed on 09/26/2018. Client accused of striking his wife with his hand. | HCCCL 16 |
| Injury to a Child | Case Dismissed on 08/20/2018. Client was accused of injuring his son outside a grocery store. | 338th |
| Assault | Case Dismissed on 07/25/2018. Client accused of striking her girlfriend in the face with a closed fist. | HCCCL 1 |
| Assault Family Member by Choking | Case Dismissed on 07/10/2018. Client accused of choking his girlfriend. | 176th |
| Injury to a Child | Case Dismissed by Grand Jury on 06/25/2018. Client used reasonable discipline against her 14 year old daughter after the girl stole her car for the second time. | 184th |
| Aggravated Assault Family Member | Case Dismissed on 05/29/2018. Client accused of running over her boyfriend. | 178th |
| Aggravated Assault Family Member | Case Dismissed on 04/24/2018. Client accused of threatening to kill his wife and family with a firearm. | 178th |
| Assault | Case Dismissed on 04/19/2018. Client accused of striking another guy at a party. | HCCCL 7 |
| Aggravated Assault Family Member | Case reduced to misdemeanor Deadly Conduct on 02/07/2018. Client accused of threatening his baby’s mama with an AR-15. | 351st |
| 2017 CASE RESULTS | ||
| Arson | Case Dismissed by the Grand Jury on 11/28/2017. Client accused of setting a fire in his garage, however he was suffering an epileptic seizure at the time. Note: It is extremely rare that epilepsy has been used successfully in criminal defense. | 185th |
| Assault of a Family Member | Case Dismissed on 10/23/2017. Client accused of striking his girlfriend with his hand. | HCCCL 8 |
| Assault of a Family Member | Case Dismissed on 10/18/2017. Client accused of striking his wife in the face with his hand. | HCCCL 6 |
| Disarming of a Police Officer | Case Dismissed on 08/03/2017. Client accused of forcibly taking a stun gun away from the officer. | 208th |
| Assault of a Family Member | Case Dismissed on 06/07/2017. Client accused of striking her boyfriend with her hand. | HCCCL 10 |
| Assault of a Family Member | Case Dismissed on 05/03/2017. Client accused of grabbing his girlfriend’s jaw with his hand. | HCCCL 4 |
| Assault of a Family Member by Choking | Case Dismissed by the Grand Jury on 03/09/2017. Client accused of choking his girlfriend. | 263rd |
| Assault of a Family Member by Choking | Case Dismissed by the Grand Jury on 02/23/2017. Client accused of choking his wife. | 182nd |
| Assault of a Family Member | Case Dismissed on 02/10/2017. Client accused of striking his wife with a picture frame. | HCCCL 15 |
