Who actually decides
Once a case is filed, it belongs to the prosecutor's office, not to the person who reported it. A complainant can tell the prosecutor they do not want to go forward, and that view is usually considered, but the office can continue with other evidence such as video, medical records, or the officers' own observations. New York does not use the phrase assault with a deadly weapon as a charge name; it grades assault by degree, and a weapon allegation often pushes the case into a felony degree. That grading matters because felony matters move toward a grand jury, and how they end up being resolved follows a different path than a misdemeanor.
What dropped can turn out to mean
A case can be dismissed outright, reduced to a lesser charge, declined by a grand jury, or resolved in a way that leads to dismissal later if conditions are met. These are not the same, and each leaves a different record behind. Whether the object qualifies as a weapon under the law is often a real point of dispute, because New York treats a short list of inherently deadly items differently from ordinary objects that are claimed to have been used dangerously. Questions about self-defense, about who started the confrontation, and about how any injury happened can also change how the prosecutor sees the file. None of that can be predicted from the arrest paperwork alone.
What helps and what hurts in the meantime
If an order of protection was issued, follow it exactly, even if the protected person reaches out to you first. Do not ask the complainant, directly or through friends, to drop the case or change their story, because that conduct can lead to new charges of its own. Gather what you can safely gather: names of people who saw what happened, your own photos of any injuries, and the location of any cameras nearby. Our starting point is the charging papers, the weapon allegation, and the evidence the prosecution is likely to hold. From there we discuss which outcomes are realistic to pursue and what timing applies.
