Dedicated Violent Crimes Lawyer in Nashville, TN

Chapter 13 of Title 39 of the Tennessee Annotated Code lists several offenses against persons considered violent crimes. They fall into various categories, including but not limited to assault, homicide, and sexual crimes. Although the specific elements of each differ, at their core, they all involve conduct that causes or could cause injury to another person.

Below is a more in-depth review of examples of violent crimes in Tennessee:

• ASSAULT: Assault occurs when a person causes bodily injury to another, makes an individual fear that they are in imminent danger of injury, or makes extremely offensive or provocative physical contact (Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-101).
• AGGRAVATED ASSAULT: According to Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-102, a person can be charged with aggravated assault if they commit assault that resulted in serious bodily injury or death to another, involved strangulation, or used a deadly weapon.
• INTIMIDATION: A person can commit force under Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-309 in several ways. These include harming or threatening someone who has exercised a civil right, damaging or destroying the property of someone who has exercised a civil right, or preventing them from doing so.
• INVOLUNTARY SERVITUDE: This offense involves forcing another person to engage in labor or services. Methods used to make a person submit causing or threatening to cause bodily harm, physically restraining the other person, confiscating the individual's government identification documents, or using threats or violence (Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-307).
• KIDNAPPING: A person may be charged with kidnapping under Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-303 if they move or confine another individual and restrict their liberties in a way that places the victim at risk of bodily injury. The offense may be charged as aggravated kidnapping under Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-304 if the defendant committed it to facilitate or flee from a felony or interfere with government business, to cause serious bodily injury or terrorize another, if the victim suffered physical injury, or if the defendant had or threatened to use a deadly weapon.
• MANSLAUGHTER: Under Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-211, a person commits manslaughter when they cause the death of another after being provoked to the point that they behave irrationally. The individual may have had the intent to kill, but unlike murder, the act was not planned.
• MURDER: This crime involves the unlawful killing of another. Tennessee separates it into first- and second-degree offenses. First-degree murder (Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-202) occurs when someone plans the act, causes another's death while engaged in a separate felony, or commits the offense by throwing or discharging a bomb. Second-degree murder (Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-210) is committed when someone knowingly kills another or distributes a drug that causes another person to die.
• RAPE: Under Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-503, rape occurs when someone engages in unlawful sexual penetration through force, fraud, or coercion, when the victim does not consent, or when the defendant knows that the victim is mentally defective or incapacitated, or physically helpless. Under Tenn. Code. Ann. § 39-13-502, rape is an aggravated offense when the defendant was armed with a deadly weapon, caused bodily injury to the victim, or committed the act with one or more others.
• SEXUAL BATTERY: This offense involves unlawful sexual contact committed through the use of force, fraud, or coercion when the victim did not consent or when the victim is mentally incapacitated or defective or physically helpless (Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-505).
• STALKING: Under Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-315, this offense occurs when, on two or more occasions, someone harasses another person, causing them to feel terrorized, threatened, intimidated, or frightened.
• STATUTORY RAPE: An adult commits statutory rape under Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-506 when they have unlawful sex with a minor under 17 but at least 13 years of age.

A charge for any of the offenses listed above is serious. You need a staunch and zealous Nashville violent crime attorney fighting for you if you face accusations. Our team can deliver the dedicated defense you need with a free case review.

The criminal sanctions imposed upon a violent crime conviction depend on the conduct involved. Charges and penalties for violent crimes include the following:

• CLASS B MISDEMEANOR: Up to 6 months of incarceration and/or up to $500 in fines. Example of offenses: assault involving extraordinarily offensive or provocative contact.
• CLASS A MISDEMEANOR: Up to 11 months, 29 days of incarceration, and/or up to $2,500 in fines. Examples of offenses: assault causing injury or causing another to fear injury, stalking.
• CLASS E FELONY: 1 to 6 years of imprisonment, up to $3,000 in fines. Examples of offenses: sexual battery, statutory rape.
• CLASS D FELONY: 2 to 12 years of imprisonment and/or up to $5,000 in fines. Examples of offenses: aggravated assault where the defendant acted recklessly, intimidation.
• CLASS C FELONY: 3 to 15 years of imprisonment and/or up to $10,000 in fines. Examples of offenses: aggravated assault where the defendant acted knowingly or intentionally, voluntary manslaughter, kidnapping, involuntary servitude.
• CLASS B FELONY: 8 to 30 years of imprisonment and/or up to $25,000 in fines. Examples of offenses: aggravated kidnapping, rape, aggravated sexual battery.
• CLASS A FELONY: 15 to 60 years of imprisonment, up to $50,000 in fines.Examples of offenses: second-degree murder, aggravated rape.

First-degree murder is a felony in Tennessee, but it is not classified as any of the offenses listed above. A conviction can result in the death penalty, life imprisonment without parole, or life imprisonment. The stakes are high in any violent crime matter. Your personal and professional relationships, finances, and entire future are on the line. You need a fierce Nashville crime lawyer ready to do what it takes to protect your rights. The team at Andrew C. Beasley, PLLC, is prepared to exhaust our resources and explore every legal option to work toward obtaining the best possible result.

When a judge expunges an arrest or conviction record, they “seal” or “erase” any legal trace of the event. While some individuals can successfully expunge their records, they usually have not committed violent crimes. For these kinds of charges, expungements are rare. Often, some laws entirely exclude violent crimes from expunging consideration.

If you want to expunge a criminal record, it is vital to understand your options and seek legal advice from a qualified attorney like Andrew C. Beasley, who can help you navigate this process.