An attorney was arrested earlier this year for allegedly dragging a woman with his car, but the charges have since been dropped. The man was charged with aggravated assault after an incident back in February where he allegedly fled the scene. The criminal charges did not ever make it before a grand jury, and the traffic charge was handled in lower court.
Due to the issue of 'conflict of interest,' the trial was moved out of Bergen County and into Hudson County by the prosecution. The man's profession as an attorney, paired with his relation to a county executive brought about the move.
A dismissal of charges for lack of evidence can mean a clean break for the accused. The prosecution dropped the charges with the consent of the victim, reflecting that there truly was nothing to these allegations. The man does still have to answer for three traffic citations, which obviously carry a far less serious consequence than aggravated assault charges.
Criminal charges can be very damaging to the life and reputation of the accused. If the police investigators cannot find evidence to substantiate the claims of an alleged victim, the prosecution may decide to drop the case. On the other hand, if the defense does not believe there is sufficient evidence, the attorney can argue that in court in order to bring about a dismissal by the judge.
Aggravated assault charges carry serious sentences if they can be proven to have taken place. In this case, the man was wrongly accused of a crime he did not commit. Unfortunately, this type of case happens, and it is only through the due process of law that justice occurs.
Source: Ramsey Patch, "Prosecutors Drop Charges Against Former Bergen County Executive's Brother,"James Kleimann, Sep. 20, 2012