Articles Posted in MS Criminal Laws

Arson is a relatively common pastime in Mississippi, with at least three arsonists setting fire to structures within the past week alone. Before you get involved in this pastime yourself, you might want to consider the potential penalties for this offense. Mississippi takes arson seriously. It does not matter whether you were setting fire to something as part of a political protest or whether you were simply bored. You may go to prison for a long time if you commit arson.  

 The good news is that with help from a criminal defense attorney in Mississippi, you have your best chance at protecting your rights, avoiding prison time, and mitigating any legal issues you might be facing. With all that said, it is difficult to strive for a positive outcome if you wait too long to get started, so get in touch with a defense attorney right away if you are serious about fighting for your rights.  

 Keokuk Woman Charged With Arson 

Any criminal charge can have life-altering consequences, but if you’re convicted for a violent crime, the consequences will be even greater. Violent crimes are considered a threat to society, which is why the courts aim to punish those convicted with harsh penalties. However, crimes of violence are rarely as black and white as they appear on paper. Our attorneys at the Carmody Law Firm understand that a close inspection/investigation soon after is extremely important when dealing with cases of a violent nature. Simply being charged with armed robbery, murder, assault, kidnapping, or a sexual offense also carries a certain stigma in the community that will have a lasting impact on the offender’s life, even if there is no conviction. 

In addition, the repercussions for a conviction can be hefty, and will include lengthy prison times, large fines, and a damaging mark on your criminal record. Anyone charged with a crime of violence should seek out a qualified criminal defense attorney as soon as possible to evaluate their case.  

What Should an Offender do When Being Charged with a Violent Crime Prior to Speaking to their Criminal Defense Attorney? 

Aggravated assault is a very serious criminal charge. In addition to the possible criminal penalties, it can make it hard to pass a background check to get a job or find housing. When a person has been accused of this crime of violence, they are being accused of some type of crime against a person. However, the assault charge that the offender will be subject to will depend on the exact circumstances regarding the level of force used. Aggravated assault is a type of crime that is much more serious than simple assault. If you have been accused of aggravated assault, it is important that you do everything that you can to defend yourself from this accusation. Our attorneys at the Carmody Law Firm will work tirelessly to ensure that your rights are protected and that your side of the story is heard in court.

What Makes an Assault an Aggravated Assault?

In order for any offender to be charged with assault or aggravated assault, they do not have to have caused injury to another person. Instead, simply the behavior of causing sufficient fear that harm could or would be caused can constitute assault. The thing that differentiates assault and aggravated assault is the use or presence of a deadly weapon. It is possible for a person to be charged with aggravated assault even if they did not cause any physical harm whatsoever. What does need to have happened however, is for an offender carrying a deadly weapon to have caused fear for another person’s safety, or to have threatened a person with a deadly weapon.

Anyone facing criminal charges is a traumatic experience. One of the most serious

charges is rape. This charge carries a long prison sentence and the stigma of a felony

conviction based on a violent sexual conviction and a life time sexual offender

“Fleeing or eluding a law enforcement officer in a motor vehicle” is a serious offense in

Mississippi. However, most of us know it better as simply “a car chase.” The reason this is

viewed as such a serious crime in Mississippi should be obvious. When you are zooming down

“Disorderly conduct” may seem like a vague phrase. After all, there are many acts that could potentially be considered disorderly conduct. So, how do you know if you are breaking the law? The truth is that you could face serious legal consequences for committing this crime, so it makes sense to gain a clear understanding of what falls within the parameters of “disorderly conduct.”

If you have been charged with disorderly conduct in Mississippi, get in touch with an experienced criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. Although disorderly conduct might not be the worst crime you can be charged with in Mississippi, the consequences are no laughing matter. To avoid these legal consequences, you can work with an attorney and put a solid defense strategy into action.

The Definition of Disorderly Conduct in Mississippi

Kidnapping is a serious offense in the state of Mississippi, and it may occur in a number of different ways. When most people think about kidnapping, they picture an armed person in a mask – perhaps pulling up in an unmarked van before grabbing someone off the street and holding them for ransom. But in reality, the vast majority of kidnapping cases are much less spectacular, and they typically involve family members. In fact, many people commit this crime without even fully realizing it.

If you have been charged with kidnapping in Mississippi, you need to get in touch with an experienced criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. With help from a legal professional, you can fight for your rights and your freedom. As you will see, kidnapping can result in significant legal penalties. With the right legal assistance, you can mitigate these consequences as much as possible.

What is the Legal Definition of Kidnapping?

Many people consider graffiti a form of “street art,” and they appreciate its urban influences and risque style. Unfortunately, the law does not share that opinion, and anyone caught vandalizing property can face serious penalties in the state of Mississippi. Some forms of vandalism are worse than others. For example, vandalizing a public building is considered an especially heinous act, and you may face considerable consequences if caught. But how bad can the penalties be?

If you are facing vandalism charges in Mississippi, you should immediately get in touch with an experienced criminal defense attorney. Our legal professionals can help you strive for the best possible results in your case. If your child has been charged with vandalism, you can book a consultation with a private defense attorney on their behalf. Vandalism is considered a serious offense in Mississippi, and there is no sense in accepting needlessly excessive penalties.

School Prank Gone Wrong

A “Romeo and Juliet” law is an exception in the law to prevent the prosecution of underage people who engage in consensual sex when both participants are significantly close in age, and one is below the age of consent. Named after William Shakespeare’s young lovers in the Romeo and Juliet play, these exceptions protect young people from criminal charges resulting from consensual sexual activity with other young people. People cannot be prosecuted for statutory rape or sexual battery who have engaged in sexual activity with one another and are within 36 months of each other. In Mississippi, the age of consent is 16 years old. At 16, a person is legally old enough to consent to sexual activity. Individuals aged 15 or younger cannot legally consent to sexual activity, and such action could result in prosecution for statutory rape or sexual battery. In Mississippi, statutory rape laws are violated when a person has consensual sexual intercourse with an individual under 16 and who is not their spouse. A close-in-age exemption exists when the age gap between the parties is less than 36 months.

Statutory Rape in Mississippi:

In Mississippi, a person commits statutory rape by having sexual intercourse with a 14 or 15-year-old child when the defendant is age 17 or older and more than three years older than the child. For example, a 17-year-old who has had consensual sex with a 15-year-old cannot be criminally prosecuted in Mississippi. However, sex with anyone younger than 14 is always a crime and can carry a possible sentence of life imprisonment. (Miss. Code Ann. §§ 97-3-65, 97-3-95 (2018).)