My question involves criminal law for the state of: California
My Fiance was arrested on the 13th. His charges state robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, burglary, and threatening/force to beliefe.
here's the story: He went into a liquer store to buy me some water and a beer for himself. When the store owner tried to overcharge him for the beer my Fiance called him a thief. The store owner got offended and a yelling match ensued. My fiance went to leave the store but turned around to retrieve his skateboard. The store owner's brother took his skateboad and hit my Fiance in the face twice leaving a cut under his left eye and a chipped tooth. Both the store owner and my Fiance called 911 but they say that my fiance never called and they were answering an armed robbery call. My Fiance would never pull a weapon on someone unless they were seriousley trying to hurt him but the store owner claims he pulled a knife, my Fiance claims the store owner pulled a sword and he himself did NOT pull a knife. Here's the problem, my fiance did have knives on him. From what I have been told the only evidence is the store owner's and the store owner's brother's word against my fiance with only one independent witness saying "some guy going crazy in the store and I didn't want to go in". The security cameras were broken so there is no tape. What I need to know is, is this enough evidence to convict him?
The other problem is that the store owners have thick middle eastern accents and don't understand english very well, nor speak it. Can this work in our favor or against us? would the judge find it too difficult to get a straight story out of them and so not be able to use much of what they say and have to look at the physical evidence which is only the fact that my Fiance had a knife on him?
any help in understanding this whole thing would realy set my nerves to rest. Thank you.

