It is very important that you must know what are assault or battery charges and to what degree you will be charged for both. In this article, there will be a brief description of these charges in Fairfax, Virginia. You will also find the classification and degrees of these offenses as well. Anybody who will convict these crimes will definitely face charges and it will be very important for you to consult a qualified lawyer so that you can get the best representation in the court. He will review all the facts related to your case and will ensure that all your rights are protected. Let’ discuss the topic in detail.
The Assault and Battery
Assault is when someone touches another person unlawfully and there are many categories behind it. The assault and battery will be considered as a misdemeanor felony if the offender has no weapon and the person who is being assaulted has no obvious injury to the body. The other category is the felony assault and battery in which this crime arises to a felony crime and the victim has the obvious injuries on the body such as broken teeth, broken bones, internal injuries, and unconsciousness. In Fairfax, there are many classes of this crime and unlawful wounding and aggravated wounding is also one of them.
Charges of Assault and Battery
Both assault and battery are considered as a class 1 felony and if the victim is being selected on the basis of color, religion, and race then it will be the Class 6 felony. The felony Assault and battery will be charged according to Felony Class 3 and it will be in the case of nasty wounding. In case of unlawful wounding, the suspect will be charged with Class 6 felony. The class of the felony depends on the seriousness of the injury that the victim has received. The person will be charged with the less serious charge if the injury is not serious and it is also not obvious. The class 3 felonies include the injuries such as broken bones and teeth that are not permanent.
It will be considered as a domestic assault if the person has assaulted a family member in Virginia. The assault charges will be greater if a peace officer is being assaulted and it will then be a Class 6 felony.
The Punishment and the Possible Fines
The punishment of assault and battery depends on the seriousness of the injury as it is described above. If the victim is left uninjured without much touching then it will result in a lesser punishment. For class 1 misdemeanor, the punishment will be up to 12 months in jail and the possible fine will be USD 2500.
For class 6 felony, the punishment will be about 5 years in jail and the fine will be USD 2500. It can be imprisonment for one year in jail but it depends on the seriousness of the injury.
The class 6 felony offender will be sentenced in jail for five to twenty years and the fine will be USD 100,000.