Inset: Brianna Berry (Harris County Sheriff's Office). Background: The Harris County Jail in Houston, Texas (Google Maps).
A public defender in Texas was recently arrested after breaking into a home and hitting her ex-boyfriend with a hammer, Lone Star State police say. The defendant is also alleged to have bitten the victim.
Brianna Berry, 25, stands accused of one count each of burglary of a habitation and aggravated assault, according to Harris County court records reviewed by Law&Crime.
The underlying incident occurred on Sept. 3, at a residence in Humble — a small town in the northeastern part of the Houston metro area.
On the day in question, the defendant allegedly wanted to get back together with her ex, so she traveled to a residence owned by the victim's aunt to make her case, according to charging documents obtained by Houston-based ABC affiliate KTRK.
But those apparent appeals for affection were met with a resounding run of remonstrances — in the form of the man locking the doors and telling the woman to go away, law enforcement said.
Berry allegedly broke two doors and forced her way in.
A neighbor called police after the situation turned violent.
"There was a lot of yelling and arguing going on, and about six or seven people outside, and the young lady had a hammer, and they were all fighting and hitting each other," the neighbor told KTRK.
Law enforcement says the fracas took a turn after Berry found a hammer in the garage, picked it up, and then struck her ex in the arm and back some two or three times. After that, she bit him on the hand, according to the Harris County District Attorney's Office.
That office has also been the defendant's professional opposition for several months. Berry was hired by the Harris County Public Defender's Office after she obtained her law license in April 2026.
The defendant has worked on misdemeanor cases so far, KTRK reported, citing the Harris County District Clerk's website. Berry was described as a recent hire by the Houston Chronicle.
"The Office's priority is to maintain the trust and confidence of our employees and clients, and any employment decisions will be made with that in mind," the Harris County Public Defender's Office told the TV station. "At the same time, we recognize and respect Ms. Berry's right to due process and the presumption of innocence."
After her arrest, Berry allegedly told investigators she and her ex only broke up the week before the incident. Her ex, however, said they broke up a year ago, according to law enforcement.
During a probable cause hearing this week, the defendant requested a public defender, KTRK reported.
"Good luck, Ms. Berry, keep your chin up, it's going to be over before you know it," the magistrate said during the hearing.
The state requested $75,000 bail, but the court set bail at $4,000 total for both offenses. Berry has since bonded out of jail.
The defendant has since hired a defense attorney, court records show. She is next slated to appear in court on Oct. 8.
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