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Violent crimes cover a wide variety of criminal acts, all of which are heavily punished under state law. Assault, aggravated assault, assault with a deadly weapon, threatened assault, domestic violence, homicide, manslaughter and offensive contact are just a few examples of violent crimes in Texas. If you have been charged with any of these offenses, you should have a Fort Worth criminal defense attorney evaluate your case before it progresses or you agree to answer any questions about the case.
In the state of Texas, you could be charged with any number of violent crimes—ranging from simple assault and domestic violence to manslaughter and murder. The penalties you face will ultimately depend on the severity of your charges.
According to Texas Penal Code Section 22.01, you could be charged with assault if you intentionally, knowingly or recklessly cause bodily injury to another or threaten imminent bodily injury. You don’t actually need to make physical contact with the victim. Assault with bodily injury is prosecuted as a Class A misdemeanor, but the charges could be elevated to a third-degree felony if the crime was committed against any of the following:
Even if you do not cause bodily harm to the victim, you could still be charged with a Class A misdemeanor if the crime was committed against an elderly or disabled individual. Otherwise, simple assault will be charged as a Class C misdemeanor. The penalties for a Class A misdemeanor in the state of Texas can include up to one year in jail and/or $4,000 in fines. The penalty for a Class C misdemeanor includes a fine of up to $500—no jail time.
According to Texas Family Code Section 71.003, you could be charged with family violence if you commit an act of violence against another member of the family or household that is intended to result in physical harm, bodily injury or assault. You could also be charged with this offense even if you only threaten a family member with imminent physical harm.
Domestic assault is typically charged as a Class A misdemeanor, which could result in up to one year in jail and a $4,000 fine. If you have prior convictions for a similar offense, however, the charges could be elevated to a third-degree felony—which is punishable by no more than ten years in prison, but no less than two, and $10,000 in fines.
If you’ve been arrested, call my firm to talk with a Fort Worth criminal defense lawyer.
According to Texas Penal Code Section 19.04, you could face manslaughter charges if you recklessly cause the death of another person. This is a second-degree felony, which can result in up to 20 years in state prison and $10,000 in fines. If the person was killed under negligent circumstances, you could be charged with “criminally negligent homicide,” which is a state jail felony. You could be sentenced to state jail for up to two years.
According to Texas Penal Code Section 19.02, you could be charged with murder if you intentionally cause the death of another person, intend to cause serious bodily injury by committing an act that is clearly dangerous and ultimately causes the death of another person, or cause the death of another person in the commission of a felony. Murder is a felony of the first degree unless the crime rises to the level of capital murder.
You could be charged with capital murder if:
If you are convicted of capital murder in Texas, you could be sentenced to state prison for life without the chance of parole or even put to death. If you were under the age of 18 when the crime was committed, you may only be sentenced to prison for life—which means that there is a possibility of parole. Regardless of the circumstances, it is recommended that you contact a criminal defense attorney if you have been charged with murder.
Any person with a prior criminal record for a violent offense can expect the penalties of a conviction to be enhanced. Cases in which physical damage was done to another human being are also punished heavily, as well as violent crimes that involve firearms or other weapons. If this is the first time you have been arrested for a violent crime, and there were no serious injuries, you will be charged with a Class A misdemeanor. The charges will escalate to a third-degree felony if there are previous convictions.
Third, second, and first-degree felonies allow for fines of up to $10,000 and a prison sentence of up to 10 years for third-degree offenses, 20 years for second-degree offenses, and 99 years for first degree offenses. If you are accused of murder, you could pay the ultimate price; in our state, the death penalty is imposed in many cases. Your life could be on the line, and you need to know that your criminal lawyer in Fort Worth will do everything possible to save you from this horrible consequence.
At the Law Office of A. Oliver Hassibi, I offer more than a decade of legal experience. With a carefully crafted defense case and persuasive representation at trial, you could walk away, free of consequences, or with a reduced or dismissed charge.
IF YOU ARE IN NEED OF A FORT WORTH CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYER THAT KNOWS HOW TO DEFEND YOU AGAINST A VIOLENT CRIME CHARGE, CALL ME.
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