(a)(1) Whoever unlawfully assaults, or threatens another in a menacing manner, shall be fined not more than $1,000 or be imprisoned not more than 180 days, or both.
(2) Whoever unlawfully assaults, or threatens another in a menacing manner, and intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causes significant bodily injury to another shall be fined not more than $3,000 or be imprisoned not more than 3 years, or both. For the purposes of this paragraph, the term “significant bodily injury” means an injury that requires hospitalization or immediate medical attention.
(b) Repealed.
(c) Repealed.
(d) Repealed.
(e) Repealed.
CREDIT(S)
(Mar. 3, 1901, 31 Stat. 1322, ch. 854, § 806; May 8, 1993, D.C. Law 9-269, § 2, 39 DCR 9014; Nov. 17, 1993, D.C. Law 10-53, § 2, 40 DCR 5446; Aug. 20, 1994, D.C. Law 10-151, § 105(d), 41 DCR 2608; May 16, 1995, D.C. Law 10-255, § 16, 41 DCR 5193; June 3, 1997, D.C. Law 11-275, § 3, 44 DCR 1408; Apr. 24, 2007, D.C. Law 16-306, § 207, 53 DCR 8610; Dec. 10, 2009, D.C. Law 18-88, § 302, 56 DCR 7413.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Prior Codifications
1981 Ed., § 22-504.
1973 Ed., § 22-504.
Effect of Amendments
D.C. Law 16-306 rewrote subsec. (a), which had read as follows:
“(a) Whoever unlawfully assaults, or threatens another in a menacing manner, shall be fined not more than $1,000 or be imprisoned not more than 180 days, or both.”
D.C. Law 18-88 repealed subsecs. (b) to (e), which had read as follows:
“(b) Any person who on more than one occasion engages in conduct with the intent to cause emotional distress to another person or places another person in reasonable fear of death or bodily injury by willfully, maliciously, and repeatedly following or harassing that person, or who, without a legal purpose, willfully, maliciously, and repeatedly follows or harasses another person, is guilty of the crime of stalking and shall be fined not more than $500 or be imprisoned not more than 12 months, or both. Constitutionally protected activity, such as conduct by a party to a labor dispute in furtherance of labor or management objectives in that dispute, is not included within the meaning of this definition.
“(c) Any person who violates subsection (b) of this section when there is in effect a court order imposing a temporary restraining order, an injunction, a temporary protection order, civil protection order, stay-away or no contact order, civil restraining order, or any combination thereof, prohibiting contact between that person and the individual who is the victim of the conduct described in subsection (b) of this section shall be subject to the penalties set forth therein and in addition shall be required to give bond, for a period not exceeding 1 year, to ensure compliance with the provisions of this section.
“(d) A second conviction occurring within 2 years of a first conviction for an offense under subsection (b) or (c) of this section, or for a similar offense under the law of any other jurisdiction, shall result in a fine of up to 1 1/2 times the maximum fines authorized for the offenses in subsections (b) and (c) of this section and imprisonment for a term of up to 1 1/2 times the maximum term of imprisonment authorized for the offense. If such person was previously convicted more than once of an offense described in subsection (b) or (c) of this section, such person may be subject to a fine of up to 3 times the maximum fines authorized for the offenses in subsections (b) and (c) of this section and imprisonment for a term of up to 3 times the maximum term of imprisonment authorized for each offense. No conviction with respect to which a person has been pardoned on the grounds of innocence shall be taken into account in applying this section.
“(e) For the purpose of this section, the term ‘harassing’ means engaging in a course of conduct either in person, by telephone, or in writing, directed at a specific person, which seriously alarms, annoys, frightens, or torments the person, or engaging in a course of conduct either in person, by telephone, or in writing, which would cause a reasonable person to be seriously alarmed, annoyed, frightened, or tormented.”
Emergency Act Amendments
For temporary amendment of section, see § 105(d) of the Omnibus Criminal Justice Reform Emergency Amendment Act of 1994 (D.C. Act 10-255, June 22, 1994, 41 DCR 4286).
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 207 of Omnibus Public Safety Emergency Amendment Act of 2006 (D.C. Act 16-445, July 19, 2006, 53 DCR 6443).
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 207 of Omnibus Public Safety Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2006 (D.C. Act 16-490, October 18, 2006, 53 DCR 8686).
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 207 of Omnibus Public Safety Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2007 (D.C. Act 17-10, January 16, 2007, 54 DCR 1479).
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 207 of Omnibus Public Safety Second Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2007 (D.C. Act 17-25, April 19, 2007, 54 DCR 4036).
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 302 of Omnibus Public Safety and Justice Emergency Amendment Act of 2009 (D.C. Act 18-181, August 6, 2009, 56 DCR 6903).
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 302 of Omnibus Public Safety and Justice Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2009 (D.C. Act 18-227, October 21, 2009, 56 DCR 8668).
Legislative History of Laws
Law 9-269, the “Anti-Stalking Temporary Amendment of 1992,” was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 9-659. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on October 6, 1992, and November 4, 1992, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on November 23, 1992, it was assigned Act No. 9-317 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 9-269 became effective on May 8, 1993.
Law 10-53, the “Anti-Stalking Amendment Act of 1993,” was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 10-42, which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on June 1, 1993, and June 29, 1993, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on July 16, 1993, it was assigned Act No. 10-46 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 10-53 became effective on November 17, 1993.
Law 10-151, the “Omnibus Criminal Justice Reform Amendment Act of 1994,” was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 10-98, which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on March 29, 1994, and April 12, 1994, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on May 4, 1994, it was assigned Act No. 10-238 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 10-151 became effective on August 20, 1994.
Law 10-255, the “Technical Amendments Act of 1994,” was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 10-673, which was referred to the Committee of the Whole. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on June 21, 1994, and July 5, 1994, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on July 25, 1994, it was assigned Act No. 10-302 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 10-255 became effective May 16, 1995.
Law 11-275, the “Second Criminal Code Technical Amendments Act of 1996,” was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 11-909, which was referred to the Committee of the Whole. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on November 7, 1996, and December 3, 1996, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on December 24, 1996, it was assigned Act No. 11-520 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 11-275 became effective on June 3, 1997.
Law 16-306, the “Omnibus Public Safety Amendment Act of 2006”, was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 16-247, which was referred to Committee on the Judiciary. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on June 6, 2006, and October 3, 2006, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on October 17, 2006, it was assigned Act No. 16-482 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 16-306 became effective on April 24, 2007.
Law 18-88, the “Omnibus Public Safety and Justice Amendment Act of 2009”, as introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 18-151, which was referred to the Committee on Public Safety and the Judiciary. The bill as adopted on first and second readings on June 30, 2009, and July 31, 2009, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on August 26, 2009, it was assigned Act No. 18-189 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 18-88 became effective on December 10, 2009.
