Porsha Williams charged with battery after taping RHOA episode

A high profile criminal case from Fulton County is making the news across the country. A star of the television series “Real Housewives of Atlanta” has been charged with battery related to an alleged incident that occurred in March while crews were taping an episode for the cable TV series. Porsha Williams reportedly turned herself in earlier this week on a misdemeanor arrest warrant. She was released from custody on the same night.

Authorities say that Kenya Moore called authorities in March claiming that Porsha Williams assaulted her on the set while taping an episode for the Bravo network show. However, authorities say that Ms. Moore could not make a formal statement at that time due to her schedule. Law enforcement later obtained the warrant.

Assault and battery charges can involve a wide variety of allegations, and the level of an offense is dependent upon the individual facts and circumstances in the alleged situation. Some people have difficulty in understanding some of the nuances of what may constitute assault.

An assault does not actually have to involve actual physical contact under Georgia law. For example, the Georgia simple assault statute only requires prosecutors to prove that a person attempted to use violence to injure another person, or engages in conduct that causes another person to reasonably fear that a violent injury is imminent. Battery on the other hand generally requires actual physical injury.

The nuances of criminal laws, especially when the allegations rise to a felony-level offense, can be difficult for many people to understand. A criminal defense lawyer can help a person to understand these nuances. A person who decides to defend against charges without representation may not understand the nuances fully, and may not fully appreciate the potential consequences of the charge. Similarly, nuances are involved in other areas of the law, which may provide defenses to the government’s allegations.

Source: Fox News, “’Real Housewives of Atlanta’ star Porsha Williams arrested after fight during filming,” Associated Press, April 18, 2014