If you’ve ever gone to a bar that gets disrupted by a rowdy patron, this scene should sound very familiar: it’s starting to get late, and people have had a chance to get a few drinks in them. At least one person starts to get a little bit too loud, and people from all across the bar start to crane their necks to get a better look at the cause of the commotion. As the drinks keep coming, the noise only gets louder, until finally the bouncer is finally called to deal with the problem. The rabble-rouser puts up a fight as they’re asked to leave, so the bouncer / bouncers are pushed to subdue them in order to keep the rest of the bar’s patrons safe.
Whether the person or people causing the problem are part of your group or you just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, you may find yourself being grabbed from behind by one of the bouncers as they physically escort you out of the bar or club. In an attempt to find out who suddenly grabbed and pushed you out of the bar, you may turn around to get a better look at the person manhandling you. No matter how innocent your intentions may be, the bouncer could react poorly to this, get angry, and escalate the situation to the point where they drop you to the ground and physically restrain you until the cops can come. The next thing you know, you’re outside face down on the sidewalk while a police officer is arresting you for assaulting the bouncer.
In many cases, police officers and bouncers can share a special relationship, leading to the officer to believe the bouncer’s explanation of what transpired that night without question. Even though it stands to reason that a police officer would be inclined to believe the word of the person or people in charge of maintaining a safe space, the evidence doesn’t always support their claims. Whether witnesses come forward, surveillance footage shows a different series of events, or other evidence is found at the scene, the bouncer’s claims that you assaulted could turn out to be untrue.
Possibly the most difficult part of challenging the bouncer’s claims is proving it in court. Not only is it difficult to prove that they were at fault due to the fact that they were only called over after enough of a disturbance was caused to warrant physical intervention, testimony from drunk witnesses may not hold much weight in front of a judge.
It may be difficult to prove fault in these types of cases, but that shouldn’t stop you from fighting to defend yourself if you were charged with disorderly conduct or assault, but weren’t actually the one at fault. At MayesTelles PLLC, our Phoenix criminal defense attorneys are ready to represent clients across Arizona with the skill and tenacity you need to construct a strong legal defense. Fill out our online form for a free confidential case review, or give us a call at (602) 428-7104 to set up a meeting with one of our criminal defense lawyers. The sooner you reach out to us, the more we can do to help.
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