 FACT: In the courtroom scene, Matt Murdock (a private attorney) was  acting as a prosecutor in a criminal proceeding against a gangster  accused of sexually assaulting his client. However, criminal  proceedings in a New York State Court can only be prosecuted by the  District Attorneys office (a governmental agency). For assault, the  only action a private attorney could bring on behalf of his/her  client would be a civil action (law suit for damages based on the  crime).