2010 Tennessee Code
Title 39 - Criminal Offenses
Chapter 17 - Offenses Against Public Health, Safety and Welfare
Part 3 - Disorderly Conduct and Riots
39-17-308 - Harassment.

39-17-308. Harassment.

(a)  A person commits an offense who intentionally:

     (1)  Threatens, by telephone, in writing or by electronic communication, including, but not limited to, text messaging, facsimile transmissions, electronic mail or Internet services, to take action known to be unlawful against any person and by this action knowingly annoys or alarms the recipient;

     (2)  Places one (1) or more telephone calls anonymously, or at an hour or hours known to be inconvenient to the victim, or in an offensively repetitious manner, or without a legitimate purpose of communication, and by this action knowingly annoys or alarms the recipient;

     (3)  Communicates by telephone to another that a relative or other person has been injured, killed or is ill when the communication is known to be false; or

     (4)  Communicates with another person by any method described in subdivision (a)(1), without legitimate purpose:

          (A)  (i)  With the malicious intent to frighten, intimidate or cause emotional distress; or

                (ii)  In a manner the defendant knows, or reasonably should know, would frighten, intimidate or cause emotional distress to a similarly situated person of reasonable sensibilities; and

          (B)  As the result of the communication, the person is frightened, intimidated or emotionally distressed.

(b)  (1)  A person convicted of a criminal offense commits an offense if, while incarcerated, on pre-trial diversion, probation, community correction or parole, the person intentionally communicates in person with the victim of the person's crime if the communication is:

          (A)  Anonymous or threatening or made in an offensively repetitious manner or at hours known to be inconvenient to the victim;

          (B)  Made for no legitimate purpose; and

          (C)  Made knowing that it will alarm or annoy the victim.

     (2)  If the victim of the person's offense died as the result of the offense, the provisions of this subsection (b) shall apply to the deceased victim's next-of-kin.

(c)  A violation of subsection (a) is a Class A misdemeanor. A violation of subsection (b) is a Class E felony.

[Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 1; 1998, ch. 1035, §§ 1, 2; 2001, ch. 26, § 1; 2008, ch. 973, § 1; 2009, ch. 347, § 1.]