Des Moines Violent Crimes Defense Lawyer

Domestic Assault

If you don't read the statute, then you might assume that domestic abuse assault is dating violence. Domestics include more than that, though. If someone you've ever lived with, been in an intimate relationship with, or had a kid with accuses you of assault, then it may be a domestic.

Sexual Abuse

Rape is scary. So are rape accusations

Sexual assault involves contact with someone who either doesn't consent or can't consent. Because rape can have long-lasting consequences for victims, sexual assault is always a felony. Therefore, depending on the details, you could go to prison for life without the possibility of parole. You could also end up on the sex offender registry.

Harassment

Harassment can be as simple as sending someone a purposeless message that is likely to annoy or harm them. Additionally, you might be charged with harassment if you threaten to hurt someone, share photos of them nude or engaged in sex acts, put fake explosives near buildings, make fake reports about them to police, or order merchandise or services in their name.

Disorderly Conduct

Fighting or violent behavior in public, abusive epithets, and threatening gestures might get you a disorderly conviction. I strongly believe that the United States Constitution protects a lot of the speech that the county attorneys call "harassment." Therefore, depending on what you're accused of, we should talk about whether the First Amendment might protect you.

Interference With Official Acts

Sometimes, people panic when they’re suddenly confronted by police officers arresting them or executing a warrant. As a result, sometimes people behave out of character. When this happens, they get charged with “Interference With Official Acts” or “resisting arrest.”

Intimidation

Violent crime doesn't require injury. Accordingly, firing a weapon into a crowd (or into another place where people are) is felonious Intimidation With a Dangerous Weapon.

Carrying Weapons

Because carrying guns and knives can get you in trouble, you should know about "Carrying Weapons" charges.

There's some wiggle room with this statute, though. For instance, a client got this charge dismissed when we showed that he was on his way home from lawful fishing when he was stopped with his fishing knife in his car. With this in mind, have a lawyer carefully read the law.

Unauthorized Possession of Offensive Weapons

Machine guns, missiles, and more.  You could go to prison for up to five years.

Aggravated Theft

A simple assault connected to a simple theft becomes an aggravated misdemeanor or a Class D felony.

Going Armed With Intent

Before leaving home with a dangerous weapon, think. If you plan to use that weapon against someone else, then you'll face felony charges.

Willful Injury

Was it justified? If not, then causing bodily injury to someone might lead to felony violent crime charges.

Kidnapping

Confining someone or secretly moving them from place to place, knowing you don't have the consent or authority to do that, is kidnapping if you:

• Intend to hold them for ransom
• Plan to use them a shield or hostage
• Intend to inflict serious injury on them
• Plan to sexually abuse them
• Intend to secretly confine them
• Plan to interfere with the performance of any government function

Read more about Iowa kidnapping charges.

Child Stealing

If you knew you didn't have the authority to take a kid but you did it anyway, intending to keep or hide the child from whoever has lawful custody, it's a felony.

Robbery

If you steal and do any of these things, it's robbery:

• Assaulting someone
• Threatening someone with immediate serious injury
• Purposely making someone afraid of immediate serious injury
• Threatening to immediately commit any forcible felony.

Also, it doesn’t actually matter whether or not your theft succeeded; that you intended to commit a theft when one of those things happened is what’s relevant.

Manslaughter

If it's murder but you can claim "heat of passion" doctrine, it's "voluntary manslaughter." That's because murder requires malice aforethought.

Involuntary manslaughter is when you unintentionally cause someone to die while you're committing a crime that isn't a forcible felony or escape. Additionally, if you accidentally cause a death while doing something dangerous, that might be manslaughter.