Violent Crimes
Facing Hit-and-Run Charges? Here Are Some Common Defenses
Hit-and-run charges are serious, with consequences ranging from a mandatory driver’s license revocation to possible jail time or prison sentences. Understanding the common defenses available is crucial if you are in such a predicament. When confronted with hit-and-run charges, you should know some of the effective defense strategies that could make a difference in your right to operate a vehicle – and your freedom.
Breaking Down Colorado’s New Anti-Ghost Gun Law
Beginning January 1, 2024, every gun in Colorado must have a serial number. If you own a firearm that does not have a serial number, you can get it serialized by a licensed Colorado gun dealer.
Senate Bill 279, signed into law by Governor Jared Polis on June 2, 2023, closes a loophole that allowed people to own and purchase so-called “ghost guns,” which can be assembled at home. Ghost guns are unregistered and untraceable by law enforcement.
When Does “Bodily Injury” Become “Serious Bodily Injury”?
In Colorado, there is a substantial difference between the terms “bodily injury” and “serious bodily injury.” Bodily injury refers to minor injuries, such as cuts and bruises. Serious bodily injury refers to injuries that are so severe they pose a risk of death. If you are facing violent crime charges, understanding the differences between these terms is crucial, given that one could lead to more severe penalties than the other.
What Do Police Consider a “Deadly Weapon”?
Colorado defines a deadly weapon as any object, instrument, or device capable of causing death or serious bodily injury. This broad category includes firearms, knives, bludgeons, explosive devices, and even everyday devices when used with intent to cause harm. For example, if someone uses a rock to smash someone else’s skull intentionally, that rock would be considered a deadly weapon under the law. Determination of a deadly weapon is based on the potential for harm rather than on the specific characteristics of the object itself.
Colorado’s CRS 18-3-203 and Second-Degree Assault
The crime of second-degree assault is defined in the Colorado Revised Statutes in Section 18-3-203. This is a serious criminal offense that involves intentionally or recklessly causing bodily injury to another person with a deadly weapon. It is a class 4 felony that carries a prison sentence of five to 16 years.
All About Resisting Arrest and Related Charges
Under Colorado Revised Statute 18-8-103 CRS, a person can be charged with Resisting Arrest if they knowingly prevent or attempt to prevent a peace officer from effecting an arrest of the actor or another person by:
Assault and At-Risk Youth
Educators, counselors, and caretakers of youth with disabilities provide an invaluable service to children, families, and society. Those who work in these fields do so with a passion to provide education, care, and guidance to those who suffer intellectually and emotionally. While rewarding, these occupations also carry risks that other professions do not. When a situation gets out of control, caretakers and educators can find themselves charged with very serious crimes.
What Does it Mean to Be Charged with Strangulation in Colorado?
What Is Strangulation?
You have been charged with Assault in The Second Degree, involving alleged strangulation. What does that mean? A pertinent statute, subsection 18-3-203 (1)(i), C.R.S., states in part, “A person commits the crime of assault in the second degree if with the intent to cause bodily injury, he or she applies sufficient pressure to impede or restrict the breathing or circulation of the blood of another person by applying such pressure to the neck or by blocking the nose or mouth of the other person and thereby causes bodily injury.”
What Are the Penalties for an Extraordinary Risk Crime?
Several felony crimes are listed as “extraordinary risk” offenses under Colorado state law. These are crimes that state lawmakers have deemed pose a substantial risk to human health, safety, and life. Extraordinary risk crimes come with enhanced prison sentences, and minimum sentencing guidelines.
Understanding the Make My Day Law
Here in Colorado, homeowners deserve the right to feel safe in their homes and to protect their family and property when someone threatens them. The Make My Day law grants homeowners legal immunity when they are threatened in a burglary or home invasion and respond accordingly. Depending on the nature of your case, this law may be key in keeping you out of jail.