Assault with a deadly weapon happens when a person physically harms another person or makes that person believe or instill fear that they are going to get hurt. Keep in mind that an injury does not have to occur. If fear is enough this could be considered an assault. Assault with a deadly weapon is very similar to assault but has the element of the use of intention to use a deadly weapon. Depending on what court and area of the country you are in this could also be defined as aggravated assault. Being charged with Assault in most states is considered to be a felony.
What is considered to be a deadly weapon?
These would be the most common forms or objects that a court would say are deadly weapons. Keep in mind that there could be many forms of a deadly weapon. These are the more common ones.
- Broken glass or bottle
- Baseball bats
- Hands or fist, feet, teeth, and knees
- Cars
Examples of what an assault with a deadly weapon may look like:
- Someone stabs or threats to stab someone else with broken glass.
- Running over someone with a car.
- Baseball bat to the body or threats to hit someone with a bat.
Assault with a deadly weapon are serious charges
Being charged with assault of any kind can be a serious charge and you should seek legal help as soon as possible to help with the charge. An attorney that is knowledgeable and experienced with criminal law can help in getting your sentence reduced or even dropped.
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