Inset: Brianna Berry (Harris County Sheriff’s Office). Background: The Harris County Jail in Houston, Texas (Google Maps).
A Texas public defender is facing criminal charges after allegedly forcing her way into a home, striking her former boyfriend with a hammer and biting him, authorities said.
Brianna Berry, 25, has been charged with burglary of a habitation and aggravated assault, according to Harris County court records reviewed by Law&Crime.
The alleged confrontation unfolded Sept. 3 at a home in Humble, a community located northeast of Houston.
According to charging documents obtained by Houston-based ABC affiliate KTRK, Berry went to a residence belonging to her former boyfriend’s aunt in an apparent attempt to rekindle the relationship.
The effort was reportedly unwelcome. Authorities said the man locked the doors and told Berry to leave, but she allegedly refused to go.
Investigators allege that Berry then damaged two doors before entering the home.
A neighbor contacted police as the argument escalated into a physical altercation.
“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.
The Harris County District Attorney’s Office alleges that Berry picked up a hammer inside the garage and hit her ex-boyfriend on the arm and back two or three times. She then reportedly bit his hand.
The district attorney’s office has also been on the opposite side of Berry’s cases in court. She joined the Harris County Public Defender’s Office after receiving her law license in April 2026.
Berry has so far handled misdemeanor matters, KTRK reported, citing information from the Harris County District Clerk’s website. The Houston Chronicle identified her as a recent addition to the public defender’s office.
“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.
The post Public defender tried to rekindle romance but was rejected, so she hit her ex-boyfriend with a hammer and bit him, district attorney’s office says first appeared on Law & Crime.
