Under Illinois law, such locations include “a public way, public property, a public place of accommodation or amusement, a sports venue, or a domestic violence shelter, or in a church, synagogue, mosque, or other building, structure, or place used for religious worship.” A court looks at whether the offense occurred in an area that was accessible to the public. If so, your offense becomes a Class 3 felony, punishable by 2 to 5 years in prison. Some bars, however, are exclusive and private. If the bar was exclusive and private, your charges would not be upgraded on that basis.
If you have been charged with a battery or a similar offense, contact an experienced criminal law attorney immediately. An attorney can probe for weaknesses in the states’ evidence. As with most crimes, the prosecution must prove all the elements of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt. Was the bar public or private? Did you have legal >justification such as by acting in self defense? Was the physical contact really insulting or provoking? Even if the evidence against you is overwhelming, an attorney who is respected in the courthouse may be able to negotiate a more favorable plea bargain than you could on your own.
If you have questions about this or another related Illinois criminal or traffic matter, please contact Matt Keenan at 847-568-0160 or email matt@mattkeenanlaw.com.
See Illinois Battery and Illinois Aggravated Batterystatutes. See also People v. Crawford.
(Besides Skokie, Matt Keenan also serves the communities of Arlington Heights, Chicago, Deerfield, Des Plaines, Evanston, Glenview, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Niles, Northbrook, Park Ridge, Rolling Meadows, Wilmette and Winnetka.)
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