Casey Boyd, a juvenile defense attorney with Guest & Gray, warned that young people may misunderstand the legal risk of joining a crowd that watches a fight. Boyd said a teenager who films a fight or cheers on the crowd could face serious assault allegations even without striking anyone.
Under the Texas law of parties, a person can be held responsible for another person's offense if that person intentionally encourages, directs, aids or attempts to aid the crime, according to the explanation. The law is a rule of criminal responsibility, not a separate charge. Boyd said that being present is not enough to establish guilt, and that courts weigh presence along with other facts.
Boyd said holding a phone or appearing in a fight video does not automatically make someone an accomplice. Shouting encouragement to an attacker can, depending on the circumstances, be evidence of participation. Boyd said parents should take a closer look at statements such as "I was only watching" and "I never hit anybody."