Under certain circumstances, assault can be upgraded to an aggravated offense. See 720 ILCS 5/12-2. This can be based on how you conducted the assault. Were you threatening someone with a weapon? Were you hooded or masked and/or pretending to use a gun? Were you firing a gun from a car? Were you using your car to make the threat? Were you flashing a laser attached to a gun at someone?

A second factor for aggravation involves the type of person you were assaulting. Did you go after a teacher or a sports official or a utility worker? Was the person a government investigator, a peace officer, emergency worker, probation officer or prison employee, a bus or a train driver? Was the person elderly or disabled? Was the person a process server who was attempting to serve a legal summons?

For the most part, aggravated assault is a Class A Misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and a $2,500 fine. However, if firearms are involved, you may be charged with a Class 4 Felony, punishable by 1 to 3 years in prison and a $25,000 fine. It is also a Class 4 felony, if you assault a correctional officer, probation officer or other government official. As of this year, it is a class 4 felony to assault a process server.

If you are charged with assault or a similar offense, you should contact an experienced criminal law attorney immediately. An attorney can review your case for your best possible defense. As with most offenses, the State of Illinois must prove you guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Were you acted in self defense or defense of another? Did the victim have a “reasonable apprehension” that you were going to hit them? Maybe you were just flailing your arms and didn’t even realize they were there. Even if the evidence is overwhelming an attorney who is respected by the court may be able to work out a better plea negotiation than you could on your own.

If you have questions about this or another related criminal or traffic matter, please contact Matt Keenan at 847-568-0160 or email matt@mattkeenanlaw.com.

(Besides Skokie, Matt Keenan also serves the communities of Arlington Heights, Chicago, Deerfield, Des Plaines, Evanston, Glenview, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Niles, Northbrook, Park Ridge, Rolling Meadows, Wilmette and Winnetka.)

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To determine whether the officer’s fear is reasonable, the court considers what a reasonable person would normally find frightening. Words alone are generally not enough to prove aggravated assault. There must be some sort of action, such as waiving a tire iron while yelling at an officer or threatening to shoot while holding a gun.

A recent Illinois case held that a defendant’s yelling obscenities and threatening “I’m going to get your ass” while leaving a courthouse was not enough to place an officer in reasonable fear of harm. The court acknowledged that deputies have a difficult job keeping the peace but stated “We cannot find any Illinois cases that would support a conviction because mere words alone without a gesture objectively does not place a person in reasonable apprehension of receiving a battery.” (See People v Taylor.)

If you have been charged with a crime, contact an experienced criminal law attorney immediately. An attorney can review your case to assist you in presenting your best possible defense.

If you have questions about this or another related Illinois criminal or traffic matter, please contact Matt Keenan at 847-568-0160 or email matt@mattkeenanlaw.com.

(Besides Skokie, Matt Keenan also serves the communities of Arlington Heights, Chicago, Deerfield, Des Plaines, Evanston, Glenview, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Niles, Northbrook, Park Ridge, Rolling Meadows, Wilmette and Winnetka.)

The post MORE THAN WORDS REQUIRED: AGGRAVATED ASSAULT TO AN OFFICER IN ILLIOIS appeared first on A SKOKIE CRIMINAL LAWYER EXPLAINS THE LAW 1-847-568-0160.

The changes in Illinois law upgrades assault or battery to an aggravated offense if you knowingly video or audio the offense with the intent of disseminating the recording. The video/audio restriction applies if your offense is based on the use of a firearm, device or motor vehicle. Using a video or audio with intent to disseminate can also be grounds for the judge to impose an extended sentence, not only for assault or battery, but in committing any felony.

Generally, assault is defined as causing someone to fear they are about to suffer a battery. Battery is defined as causing bodily harm or making physical contact of an insulting or provoking nature. Assault can become aggravated based on the status of a person, the use of a firearm or motor vehicle, or whether a person is in a public place. Battery can be upgraded based on the degree of the injury, the status of the person harmed, the location of the conduct, or if a weapon is involved. While simple assault or battery is a misdemeanor, aggravated conduct is a felony.

As of January 1, 2014, Illinois has added nurses in the performance of their duties to the list of battery victims with special status. Other victims with enhanced status include children, mentally retarded or handicapped persons, pregnant women, senior citizens over age 60, teachers, State of Illinois or school district officials, police officers, firefighters, community policing volunteers, prison officials or security guards performing their duties or if you are retaliating against them because of those duties, taxi drivers while on duty, or merchants detaining you for retail theft.

If you are charged with assault, battery or a similar offense, contact a criminal law attorney immediately. Do not speak to the police or anyone else about your situation either orally or by electronic media such as texting or Facebook. Just like in the cop shows, anything you say may be used against you. A criminal law attorney can carefully review the law and the evidence against you to help devise the best strategy for your defense. Under the revised law, the State must still prove you guilty of all the elements beyond a reasonable doubt. Perhaps you did not knowingly tape the incident or intend to share it. Even if the evidence is overwhelming, an experienced attorney may negotiate a better plea agreement than you could on your own.

If you have questions about this or another related criminal or traffic matter, please contact Matt Keenan at 847-568-0160 or email matt@mattkeenanlaw.com.

(Besides Skokie, Matt Keenan also serves the communities of Arlington Heights, Chicago, Deerfield, Des Plaines, Evanston, Glenview, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Niles, Northbrook, Park Ridge, Rolling Meadows, Wilmette and Winnetka.)

The post TAPING AN ASSAULT OR BATTERY TO BE AN AGGRAVATED OFFENSE IN ILLINOIS appeared first on A SKOKIE CRIMINAL LAWYER EXPLAINS THE LAW 1-847-568-0160.

But there is a whole host of ways in which simple battery can be upgraded to a more serious aggravated battery charge. Aggravation can be based on the type of injury, the type of victim or the place of the offense. Charges can range from a Class 3 to a Class X Felony with a penalty range of 3 to 60 years in prison. If guns are involved, you could face a minimum prison term of 20 years and have up to 25 years added to any sentence if you harmed a child under the age of 13.

You can be upgraded to aggravated battery if you knowingly strangle someone or cause great bodily harm, disfigurement or severe and permanent disability. This includes injury from a bomb, flammable gas, poison or throwing a caustic substance such as lye at someone.

Even if the injury was not severe, aggravation can be based on the victim’s status. It is aggravated battery to harm a child, mentally retarded or handicapped person, pregnant woman, senior citizen over age 60 or a teacher. The charge is also enhanced if you harm a State of Illinois or school district official, police officer, firefighter, community policing volunteer, prison official or security guard when they are performing their duties or if you are retaliating against them because of those duties. Persons protected also include taxi drivers while on duty or a merchant detaining you for retail theft. And as of January 1, 2014, the Illinois legislature added nurses in the performance of their duties to the list.

You can be charged with aggravated battery if the offense took place in a public place, a sports venue or a domestic violence shelter.

There are also enhanced penalties for shooting someone with a gun or machine gun.

If you are charged with battery or a similar offense, contact a criminal law attorney immediately. Do not speak to the police or anyone else about your situation either orally or by electronic media such as texting or Facebook. Just like in the cop shows, anything you say may be used against you. A criminal law attorney can carefully review the law and the evidence against you to help devise the best strategy for your defense. Maybe you were acting in self defense. Maybe the firefighter you hurt was off duty.

Even if the evidence is overwhelming, an experienced attorney may to negotiate a better plea agreement than you could on your own.

If you have questions about this or another related criminal or traffic matter, please contact Matt Keenan at 847-568-0160 or email matt@mattkeenanlaw.com

(Besides Skokie, Matt Keenan also serves the communities of Arlington Heights, Chicago, Deerfield, Des Plaines, Evanston, Glenview, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Niles, Northbrook, Park Ridge, Rolling Meadows, Wilmette and Winnetka.)

The post ILLINOIS AGGRAVATED BATTERY LAW appeared first on A SKOKIE CRIMINAL LAWYER EXPLAINS THE LAW 1-847-568-0160.

What is the law? What can you do?

In Illinois, you can be charged with aggravated assault if you knowingly cause a police officer to reasonably fear that you are going to cause bodily harm while the officer is performing their duties. For example, maybe you threatened to hit the officer or you pointed a gun at them. Aggravated assault is a Class A Misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and a $2,500 fine. If you used a gun, blackjack, shotgun or other weapon in threatening the officer, you can be charged with a Class 4 Felony, punishable by 1 to 3 years in jail.

If you actually harm the officer or make contact of an insulting nature such as grabbing at them, you can be charged with aggravated battery. If you did not cause great bodily harm, disfigurement or permanent disability, the charge is a Class 2 Felony, punishable by 3 to 7 years. If the police officer was seriously harmed, you can face a Class 1 Felony, punishable by 4 to 15 years. If you hurt the officer while shooting a gun, you are now eligible for a Class X felony, with a mandatory minimum prison term of 15 years. If you used a machine gun, the minimum prison term increases to 20 years.

As you can imagine, prosecutors and judges take attacks on police officers very seriously, but your situation may not be hopeless.

If you are charged with aggravated assault or aggravated battery to an officer, contact an experienced criminal law attorney immediately. As with other crimes, the State must still prove you guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. An attorney can help review your options for a defense. For example, Illinois law requires that you knew the person was an officer and that they were engaged in their official duties. If the officer was off duty or in plain clothes, you may have a defense.

Even if the evidence against you is overwhelming, an experienced attorney, familiar with the judge and prosecutors, may be able to negotiate a more beneficial plea bargain than you could on your own.

If you have questions about this or another related criminal or traffic matter, please contact Matt Keenan at 847-568-0160 or email matt@mattkeenanlaw.com

(Besides Skokie, Matt Keenan also serves the communities of Arlington Heights, Chicago, Deerfield, Des Plaines, Evanston, Glenview, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Niles, Northbrook, Park Ridge, Rolling Meadows, Wilmette and Winnetka.)

The post “I HIT A COP!:” AGGRAVATED ASSAULT OR AGGRAVATED BATTERY TO AN OFFICER IN ILLINOIS appeared first on A SKOKIE CRIMINAL LAWYER EXPLAINS THE LAW 1-847-568-0160.