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2017 Tennessee Code
Title 39 - Criminal Offenses
Chapter 13 - Offenses Against Person
Part 1 - Assaultive Offenses
§ 39-13-102. Aggravated assault.
Universal Citation: TN Code § 39-13-102 (2017)
- (a) (1) A person commits aggravated assault who:
- (A) Intentionally or knowingly commits an assault as defined in § 39-13-101, and the assault:
- (i) Results in serious bodily injury to another;
- (ii) Results in the death of another;
- (iii) Involved the use or display of a deadly weapon; or
- (iv) Involved strangulation or attempted strangulation; or
- (B) Recklessly commits an assault as defined in § 39-13-101(a)(1), and the assault:
- (i) Results in serious bodily injury to another;
- (ii) Results in the death of another; or
- (iii) Involved the use or display of a deadly weapon.
- (2) For purposes of subdivision (a)(1)(A)(iv), "strangulation" means intentionally or knowingly impeding normal breathing or circulation of the blood by applying pressure to the throat or neck or by blocking the nose and mouth of another person, regardless of whether that conduct results in any visible injury or whether the person has any intent to kill or protractedly injure the victim.
- (A) Intentionally or knowingly commits an assault as defined in § 39-13-101, and the assault:
- (b) A person commits aggravated assault who, being the parent or custodian of a child or the custodian of an adult, intentionally or knowingly fails or refuses to protect the child or adult from an aggravated assault as defined in subdivision (a)(1) or aggravated child abuse as defined in § 39-15-402.
- (c) A person commits aggravated assault who, after having been enjoined or restrained by an order, diversion or probation agreement of a court of competent jurisdiction from in any way causing or attempting to cause bodily injury or in any way committing or attempting to commit an assault against an individual or individuals, intentionally or knowingly attempts to cause or causes bodily injury or commits or attempts to commit an assault against the individual or individuals.
- (d) A person commits aggravated assault who, with intent to cause physical injury to any public employee or an employee of a transportation system, public or private, whose operation is authorized by title 7, chapter 56, causes physical injury to the employee while the public employee is performing a duty within the scope of the public employee's employment or while the transportation system employee is performing an assigned duty on, or directly related to, the operation of a transit vehicle.
- (e) (1) (A) Aggravated assault under:
- (i) Subsection (d) is a Class A misdemeanor;
- (ii) Subdivision (a)(1)(A)(i), (iii), or (iv) is a Class C felony;
- (iii) Subdivision (a)(1)(A)(ii) is a Class C felony;
- (iv) Subdivision (b) or (c) is a Class C felony;
- (v) Subdivision (a)(1)(B)(i) or (iii) is a Class D felony;
- (vi) Subdivision (a)(1)(B)(ii) is a Class D felony.
- (B) However, the maximum fine shall be fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) for an offense under subdivision (a)(1)(A), subdivision (a)(1)(B), subsection (c), or subsection (d) committed against any of the following persons who are discharging or attempting to discharge their official duties:
- (i) Law enforcement officer;
- (ii) Firefighter;
- (iii) Medical fire responder;
- (iv) Paramedic;
- (v) Emergency medical technician;
- (vi) Health care provider; or
- (vii) Any other first responder.
- (2) In addition to any other punishment that may be imposed for a violation of this section, if the relationship between the defendant and the victim of the assault is such that the victim is a domestic abuse victim as defined in § 36-3-601, and if, as determined by the court, the defendant possesses the ability to pay a fine in an amount not in excess of two hundred dollars ($200), then the court shall impose a fine at the level of the defendant's ability to pay, but not in excess of two hundred dollars ($200). The additional fine shall be paid to the clerk of the court imposing sentence, who shall transfer it to the state treasurer, who shall credit the fine to the general fund. All fines so credited to the general fund shall be subject to appropriation by the general assembly for the exclusive purpose of funding family violence shelters and shelter services. Such appropriation shall be in addition to any amount appropriated pursuant to § 67-4-411.
- (3)
- (A) In addition to any other punishment authorized by this section, the court shall order a person convicted of aggravated assault under the circumstances set out in this subdivision (e)(3) to pay restitution to the victim of the offense. Additionally, the judge shall order the warden, chief operating officer, or workhouse administrator to deduct fifty percent (50%) of the restitution ordered from the inmate's commissary account or any other account or fund established by or for the benefit of the inmate while incarcerated. The judge may authorize the deduction of up to one hundred percent (100%) of the restitution ordered.
- (B) Subdivision (e)(3)(A) applies if:
- (i) The victim of the aggravated assault is a correctional officer, guard, jailer, or other full-time employee of a penal institution, local jail, or workhouse;
- (ii) The offense occurred while the victim was in the discharge of official duties and within the victim's scope of employment; and
- (iii) The person committing the assault was at the time of the offense, and at the time of the conviction, serving a sentence of incarceration in a public or private penal institution as defined in § 39-16-601.
- (B) However, the maximum fine shall be fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) for an offense under subdivision (a)(1)(A), subdivision (a)(1)(B), subsection (c), or subsection (d) committed against any of the following persons who are discharging or attempting to discharge their official duties:
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