Cl Ch. 4 Assault Offenses Flashcards
Assault can occur in two ways. What are they?
Type 1: An attempted battery (victim need not be afraid)
Type 2: Threatened battery: Putting a person in fear of battery
ADW
For a threatened battery, the suspect must brandish, display , or even (blank) in a way that is designed to make the victim afraid.
even talk about his weapon
Note: The suspect must intend to cause fear. However, it is not necessary that the victim experience fear.
An attempted battery (for purposes of ADW) occurs when the suspect:
thrusts, pushes, or discharges a weapon within striking distance of the victim.
ADW
Dangerous use: In this category, normal items become weapons when used in a dangerous fashion- Must the item appear to be dangerous?
For Assault by means- Yes.
If a suspect claims to have a per se weapon, does he need to brandish it to commit ADW?
No.
Suspect may be taken at his word. However, he cannot be convicted if there is no possible way he possessed a weapon at the time he claimed to.
Examples of per se weapons:
-Firearms
-knives
-brass knuckles
-various martial arts weapons
-courts also include pepper spray (OC)
Can a person be convicted of Assault Dangerous Weapon if the weapon used was a fake gun?
Yes.
265 Sec 58 makes possessing a deceptive weapon qualify as being armed for any crime against a person in Chapter 265.
Two types of dangerous weapons:
- Per se weapons
- Dangerous use weapons
Assault Dangerous Weapon
Elements: (2)
ROA:
- Assault- committed an assault by attempting a battery or threatening to commit battery with intent to cause fear;
- Dangerous weapon- by using a dangerous weapon.
ROA: Felony
Assault Dangerous Weapon
ROA:
Felony.
Are verbal threats alone sufficient for type 2: Threatened Battery?
No.
A verbal threat to do harm becomes an assault when accompanied by some outward gesture.
Ex. taking a step forward toward victim was the menacing conduct
In order to prove assault by threatened battery, the suspect must have (blank) engaged in (blank) conduct that reasonably caused the victim to fear an (blank) battery.
- intentionally
- menacing
- imminent
Note: victim must “actually experience fear of immediate physical harm.”
Assault
For type 2: Threatened Battery, does the defendant need to intend to harm the victim?
No.
The suspect must intend to cause fear.
Assault
For type 1: Attempted Battery, does the intended battery need to be possible?
No.
ex. defendant in shackles tried to kick officer’s face
Assault:
For type 1: Attempted battery, is it necessary to show the victim was afraid?
No.
Victim doesn’t even need to be aware of the attempted battery.
Most obvious example of an attempted battery:
Throwing a punch at someone and missing
“swing and a miss”
Assault against a person with restraining order against defendant:
ROA:
Felony.
3 situations in which Assault becomes arrestable:
- During domestic violence (arrestable on PC)
- During harassment (arrestable on PC)
- Against person with Restraining order (209A, 209, 208, 209C in effect) = Felony.
** Also Assault in presence is arrestable as a breach of peace
Assault (basic offense)
ROA:
Arrest for breach of peace in presence only- otherwise, complaint
Assault:
Type 1: Attempted Battery:
Elements:(3)
- Suspect intended to commit a battery, which involved touching the victim in a harmful or unpermitted way;
- Took some overt action; and
- Came reasonably close to committing a battery
Assault:
Type 2: Threatened Battery:
Elements: (3)
- The suspect intentionally engaged;
- In menacing conduct:
- That caused the victim to fear an imminent battery.
Officer was working a detail at home depot. He saw suspect throw several boxes over a chain link fence. Confronted by the officer, suspect ran to his truck and “threw it in drive”. The truck lurched forward towards the officer, who drew his weapon. Suspect stopped quickly, then drove away. He was eventually apprehended.
This is an example of sufficient evidence of: (2)
both attempted AND threatened ADW.
-attempted to commit battery when truck lurched towards officer
- same conduct qualified as threatened battery because it was designed to cause officer to “fear for his life”. Truck was a “dangerous use” weapon.
One shot at fired at multiple victims justifies:
multiple ADW counts.
Ex. fired gun into motor vehicle- suspect “fired at point blank range and endangered all four occupants”.
Note: The evidence also showed that it may have been a backseat passenger who actually fired the weapon at the vehicle. This made no difference to the court because the defendant would still be guilty as an accomplice, since he was clearly the instigator of the shooting.
Assault and Battery (A&B) occurs in 3 ways:
- an intentional, unconsented touching of another;
- an intentional, harmful touching of another; or
- a reckless act that causes injury to another.
May a single act support simultaneous convictions of ADW and malicious destruction of property?
Yes.
Ex. shooting gun both frightened the bartender and damaged the bar
Assault and Battery (A&B) Ch. 265 Sec. 13A:
Type 1: Offensive- An intentional, unconsented touching of another:
Sub- Elements:(3)
- The suspect intentionally touched another person, however slight;
- Without having any right or excuse to do so; and
- The person touched did not consent.
Assault and Battery (A&B) Ch. 265 Sec. 13A:
Type 2: An intentional, harmful touching of another:
Sub- Elements: (3)
- The suspect intentionally touched another person,
- In a manner likely to cause bodily harm
- Without having any right or excuse to do so
Assault and Battery (A&B) Ch. 265 Sec. 13A:
Type 3: Reckless- a reckless act that CAUSES injury to another:
Sub- Elements: (2)
- The suspect engaged in reckless conduct;
- Which caused bodily injury to another.
Assault and Battery (A&B) Ch. 265 Sec. 13A:
ROA:
Basic Offense
Arrest for breach of peace in presence. Otherwise, complaint.
Assault and Battery (A&B) Ch. 265 Sec. 13A:
During Domestic Violence Assault or A&B:
ROA:
Warrantless Arrest on Probable cause
Depending on the relationship of the parties, officers will charge the A&B under 265 Sec 13M or 265 Sec 13A.
Assault and Battery (A&B) Ch. 265 Sec. 13A:
ROA:
During Harassment
Warrantless arrest on Probable Cause
Charge under 265 Sec 13A
Assault and Battery (A&B) Ch. 265 Sec. 13A
Causing Serious Bodily Injury
ROA:
Felony.
- a permanent disfigurment
- loss or impairment of bodily function, limb, or organ
- substantial risk of death
*If a victim seriously hurts themselves in avoiding the perceived battery, the assailant could be charged with felony A&B
Assault and Battery (A&B) Ch. 265 Sec. 13A
Against person who suspect knows, or should know, is pregnant
ROA:
Felony.
Assault and Battery (A&B) Ch. 265 Sec. 13A
Against person with restraining order
ROA:
Felony.
Assault and Battery (A&B) Ch. 265 Sec. 13A:
If Strangulation or Suffocation
ROA:
Felony.
Except for A&B’s involving police officers, domestic violence, or felonies, judges are authorized to dismiss an A&B or other misdemeanor if the victim voluntarily:
signed a written agreement and received adequate compensation.
Assault and Battery (A&B) Ch. 265 Sec. 13A:
Type 1:
Most common:
hit or push.
Assault and Battery (A&B) Ch. 265 Sec. 13A:
Even slight touching sufficient if victim:
did not consent.
- the touching must be on purpose, since the law does not punish incidental contact
Assault and Battery (A&B) Ch. 265 Sec. 13A:
Do bodily fluid (i.e. spitting) qualify for A&B?
Yes.
The suspect commits (blank) if he causes the victim to fear an immediate attack, which then leads to the victim’s injury while trying to escape.
A&B
If suspect is armed with dangerous weapon = ABDW
Delivering food that contains a nonlethal substance, which causes discomfort, is:
A&B
- Should the facts warrant, officers may use another offense. 270 Sec 8A prohibits selling or distributing candy to other food containing a foreign substance that is intended or reasonably expected to injure a person- FELONY
True or false:
It is illegal to touch someone in a way that is likely to hurt them.
True.
people may not agree to fistfight
same applies to sexual acts such as “asphyxiation for sexual gratification”