It may be easy for many in Lancaster to claim that they would always be able to think clearly and act appropriately in any situation. However, when confronted with a high-stress scenario, those same people may be surprised to see how quickly fear, doubt and frustration can get the best of them and cause them to act in ways that they normally would not. If such actions escalate to the point of being criminal, the hope is that the mitigating factors that led to them will be considered before assigning fault. 

A case that recently played out in Altoona may serve as an example of how stress may prompt one into rash actions. Law enforcement authorities were summoned to a local house after receiving reports of an injured animal on the property. The animal turned out to be a Chihuahua puppy, and its injuries were later attributed to a man in the house. While questioning the man about the incident, however, he became combative and ended up punching one of the officers. This led to him being arrested and charged with the aggravated assault of a police officer on top of animal cruelty charges. 

The best advice one might get when faced with a stressful situation may be to remain claim and maintain their composure. When that composure is lost and criminal charges are the result, those facing them may assistance in trying to demonstrate that their actions were prompted by the circumstances rather than predetermined motive. While not a justification, such an assertion may assist in receiving fair treatment from the court. Those that need help in presenting such a case may find it through working with an experienced criminal defense attorney.