A fight at a local bar led to disorderly conduct charges for three brothers in Boonton according to the Citizen Newspaper of Morris County. The article entitled, “Boonton bar fight results in charges against three brothers”, details the events which occurred on February 11, 2011 outside Johnnie’s Tavern on Boonton Avenue. According to police, the three defendants had gotten into a physical altercation with patrons and employees of the tavern. The three defendants were removed from the scene and charged with disorderly conduct in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:33-2.
These disorderly conduct charges are petty disorderly persons offenses which include up to thirty (30) days in the county jail if convicted and a permanent criminal charge on your record. It appears that these defendants were lucky because, typically in these cases where a bar fight and a physical altercation occurred, the defendants would also be charged with simple assault in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1(a). Simple assault is a disorderly persons offense which includes up to six (6) months in the county jail and up to a $1,000.00 fine. Moreover, if the injuries to the alleged victim are serious enough or a weapon is involved then the defendant can be charged with aggravated assault in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1(b). Aggravated assault is an indictable criminal offense which would be handled in the Morris County Superior Court in Morristown, New Jersey. Since these defendants are charged with disorderly conduct, their case will be handled at the Boonton Municipal Court.