Lebanon Criminal Law Attorney
Violent crime convictions result in life-altering punishments that lead to life-long consequences that cannot be avoided. Pennsylvania takes violent crimes very seriously. If you have been charged with such a crime, contact the criminal defense attorneys at Henry & Beaver, LLP today! We will fight for your rights.
Assault
Causing bodily harm to another person can result in serious consequences such as jail time, depending on the severity of the injuries. In Pennsylvania, there are different assault charges with which you may be charged.
- Simple Assault: This encompasses instances where a person attempts to or actually harms another person. The person who caused the harm must have acted intentionally, knowingly, recklessly, or negligently.
- Aggravated Assault: A simple assault charge is changed to an aggravated assault charge if the defendant shows an extreme indifference to the value of human life. This charge also covers serious bodily harm cause by a deadly weapon, or if the injured person is classified as a protected person such as police officers or school teacher
Homicide
In Pennsylvania, there are different categories for homicide, based on the state’s statutes. The categories are:
- Murder: This is the most serious charge as it means a person intentionally killed another person. This is considered a first-degree murder charge. If a person is killed while the other person is committing another crime (such as a robbery), it will be classified as a second or third-degree murder.
- Voluntary Manslaughter: This charge is when the murder was not pre-meditated. The defendant was acting under a sudden and intense passion that was caused by a sudden provocation.
- Involuntary Manslaughter: A killing that resulted from reckless or negligent behavior is considered to be involuntary manslaughter. A typical example of this is when one driver kills another driver in an accident due to some sort of reckless behavior.
Sexual Crimes
Sexual crimes also bring severe consequences that can completely change your life. If convicted of a sexual offense, you may be required to register on the sex offender’s list for 15 years, 25 years, or for the rest of your life. Sexual crimes include the dissemination of pornography, sexual assault, rape, prostitution, and solicitation.