Homicide: Enhancements & Aggravating Circumstances
As previously discussed, DC law recognizes two types of murder offenses: First Degree Murder (FDM) and Second Degree Murder (SDM). FDM and SDM convictions carry the highest penalties under the law and, under certain circumstances, the penalties can be enhanced to...
Heat of Passion: When Murder Becomes Manslaughter
This is part II of my explanation of Washington, D.C. homicide laws and their consequences. As previously noted in part I, a Second Degree Murder (“SDM”) charge can be reduced to Voluntary Manslaughter (“VM”) when certain mitigating circumstances are present. A...
“We All Go A Little Mad Sometimes:” Murder Defense in D.C.
For the majority of us, the closest contact we have with murder is watching make-believe victims on television or movies. However, as Norman Bates concisely explained in the movie Psycho, we all have a breaking point, and for an unlucky few, fiction becomes reality....
DC’s New APO Law Gives Defendants A Fighting Chance
Until recently, the District of Columbia’s Assault on a Police Officer (APO) statute was broadly applied to include, not only physical assault, but also resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, or interfering with a police officer. Raising your voice to an...
Oops: The Defense of Accident or Mistake in D.C. Assault Cases
In the District of Columbia, if you are arrested for any type of assault crime, the government must prove that you acted intentionally. While the government does not have to prove that you intended to injure the alleged victim, it does have to prove that you intended...
Bad Words and Where They Often Lead: D.C. Threats & Simple Assault
Stick and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me. While that may be true on the playground, Washington, D.C. lawmakers see things a little differently. In the District of Columbia, the law recognizes that words have power, and words that threaten...
Is This Thing On? The “Just Joking” Solicitation of Prostitution Defense
Generally, when you tell a joke that no one gets, the worst that usually happens is you have to explain the joke. Embarrassing? Maybe. But when you joke around with an undercover Washington, D.C. police officer posing as a prostitute, the consequences of being...
The Wide Variety of D.C. Assault Crimes
Did you hear about the peanut who walked into a bar? He was assaulted. In all seriousness, Washington, D.C. assault charges are no laughing matter. Being charged with an assault can have serious legal implications. Being convicted of assault may land you in jail....
Fight or Flight? Defense of Others in DC Assault Cases
In any threatening situation—whether it be a threat against you, a loved one, or a complete stranger—you are faced with the choice to either fight the threat or flee the situation. Fortunately, District of Columbia law recognizes, not only a right to defend yourself...