After a fight among drinking companions on January 1st in East Orange, New Jersey ended in two men pulling knives on each other, the men are facing charges for simple assault.
According to East Orange Sergeant Maurice Boyd, two East Orange men, ages 26 and 44, respectively, were drinking together before they each pulled a knife on the other following an argument. Both were injured during the incident, as the 26-year-old sustained a cut to the face, while the 44-year-old sustained a cut to his thumb.
The incident occurred on the 200 block of North Park Street in East Orange at approximately 8:30 p.m. and police reported that the men had been drinking for a few hours prior to the incident.
Although officials have not disclosed the identities of the men involved, both are currently facing charges for simple assault.
Simple Assault is codified under N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1a, which provides:
A person is guilty of simple assault if he:
- Attempted to cause or purposely, knowingly or recklessly causes bodily injury to another; or
- Negligently causes bodily injury to another with a deadly weapon; or
- Attempts by physical menace to put another in fear of imminent serious bodily injury.
Simple assault is classified as a disorderly persons offense unless it is committed in a fight or scuffle entered into by mutual consent, in which case it is a petty disorderly persons offense. Punishment for adisorderly persons offense can range from a fine to up to 6 months in the county jail. On the other hand, punishment for a petty disorderly persons offense can range from a fine to up to 3 months in the county jail.
In this case, the fight was presumably entered into by mutual consent, subjecting the two accused to petty disorderly persons charges, the less serious of the two types of simple assault offenses.
For more information pertaining to this case, access the following article: East Orange men drink for hours, pull knives on each other on New Year’s Day, police say
