Inset: Brianna Berry (Harris County Sheriff’s Office). Background: Harris County Jail in Houston, Texas (Google Maps).
A Texas public defender has been arrested on allegations that she broke into a home, struck her former boyfriend with a hammer and bit him, according to law enforcement in the Lone Star State.
Brianna Berry, 25, faces one count of burglary of a habitation and one count of aggravated assault, Harris County court records reviewed by Law&Crime show.
The alleged incident happened Sept. 3 at a home in Humble, a small community in the northeastern portion of the Houston metropolitan area.
Berry allegedly went to a residence owned by her ex-boyfriend’s aunt because she wanted to reconcile with him, according to charging documents obtained by Houston-based ABC affiliate KTRK.
Her efforts were rejected, authorities said, as the man locked the doors and told her to leave.
Berry is accused of breaking through two doors to force her way inside.
A neighbor contacted police after the confrontation allegedly became 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.
Authorities say the altercation escalated after Berry found a hammer in the garage. She allegedly picked it up and struck her ex-boyfriend two or three times in the arm and back before biting 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.
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.