Mississippi Criminal Law BlogA 63-year-old Mobile, Alabama woman was accused of setting her husband on fire earlier this week, according to WLBT-TV. Reports by the Mobile Police Department indicate that officers responded to the scene around 6:30 in the evening in reference to a medical emergency. Once on the scene, officers discovered that the woman seemingly doused her husband with flammable liquid and set him on fire. The woman was present on the scene when the authorities arrived, and her husband was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. The woman is facing an aggravated domestic violence charge, and reports indicate that her bond has been set at $7,500. In addition, the judge has ordered that the woman have no contact with her husband.
Domestic violence is a pervasive problem in Mississippi, and aggravated domestic violence is a particularly serious subset of this crime. According to the Mississippi Coalition Against Domestic Violence, in 2020:
- There were 19 domestic violence-related fatalities in Mississippi.
- There were 11,985 domestic violence incidents reported to law enforcement.
- 1,505 domestic violence protective orders were granted by courts.
How Does Mississippi Define Aggravated Domestic Violence?
Under Mississippi law, a person is guilty of aggravated assault if he or she:
- Attempts to cause serious bodily injury to another, or causes such injury purposely, knowingly, or recklessly under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life;
- Attempts to cause of purposely or knowingly causes bodily injury to another with a deadly weapon or other means likely to produce death or serious bodily harm; or
- Causes any injury to a child who is in the process of boarding or exiting a school bus.
However, when the offense is committed against a current or former spouse of the offender, a person living as a spouse or who formerly lived as a spouse with the offender, or meets other requirements laid out by statute, a person is guilty of aggravated domestic violence who:
- Attempts to cause serious bodily injury to another, or causes such an injury purposely, knowingly or recklessly under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life;
- Attempts to cause or purposely or knowingly causes bodily injury to another with a deadly weapon or other means likely to produce death or serious bodily harm; or
- Strangles, or attempts to strangle another
What are the Penalties if Convicted of Aggravated Domestic Violence?
If an individual is convicted of aggravated assault in Mississippi, he or she can face up anywhere between a year in jail to twenty years in prison.
If an individual is convicted of aggravated domestic violence, he or she can face anywhere between two and twenty years in prison.
Finding an Attorney
If you have been searching the Mississippi area for a qualified, experienced criminal defense attorney, look no further than Vic Carmody Jr., P.A. Over the years, we have helped numerous offenders pursue favorable outcomes. Although being accused of a crime like aggravated domestic violence is not a pleasant experience, there are many potential defense strategies that can be used to defend and reduce the charges against an offender. Call/contact us today for your free consultation to learn more.
Please also see us on mississippi-lawyers.com and view our reviews on avvo.com, superlawyers.com, and martindale.com. Our email address is mississippi-lawyers.com and our office phone number is (601) 948 – 4444 option 1.