A California woman who falsely accused a Black teenager of stealing her phone is facing legal repercussions. Video evidence captured her threatening and attacking the boy at a hotel.
The incident was captured and posted online by the boy’s father, showing Ponsetto lunging at Harrold while demanding that she give him her phone.
What is a Hate Crime?
Hate crimes are a grave problem in our country. These offenses stem from feelings of hatred or prejudice towards someone’s race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.
There are various types of hate crimes, each defined by its own laws. For instance, Pennsylvania recognizes one form of discrimination against ethnic minorities as “ethnic intimidation.”
Ethnic intimidation is a criminal offense that arises when someone makes threats or physically harms you due to your race, color, religion, or national origin. If this has taken place against you, the Attorney General’s Office may seek restraining orders, damages compensation and/or civil penalties against those responsible.
The FBI collects data on hate crimes as part of its Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program, a voluntary system that allows law enforcement agencies to report incidents of bias-motivated criminal activity.
It is essential to recognize that the UCR program not only collects statistics about hate crimes, but also records information on how and where these offenses take place. This data helps investigators comprehend bias’s nature and its detrimental effect on victims’ lives.
Therefore, it is imperative that anyone who experiences or witnesses a crime that could potentially be considered a hate crime report the incident to law enforcement immediately. Doing so will protect victims from further violence and suffering and facilitate an effective investigation.
California’s Ralph Act (Civil Code SS 51.7) defines a hate crime as any act that is motivated by or perceived perception of race, color, national origin, religion, gender identity or disability; regardless of how it may have been committed in the past. Furthermore it is illegal to engage in intimidation or harassment of an individual based on their membership within a protected group or for any activity covered by the Ralph Act.
The United States Department of Justice maintains a database of federal hate crime cases under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009. This website allows anyone to search for an incident and view case details, such as suspect’s name, date of birth, and any other relevant data that is available.
What is a Crime of Aggravated Harassment?
Aggravated Harassment is a serious charge that can have lasting repercussions for your life and career, even if you are unaware of its implications. A conviction on this offense will remain on your permanent criminal record for life, making it difficult to get employment or housing without an extensive background check.
New York law defines aggravated harassment as an ongoing pattern of harassing, annoying or alarming another individual. This can be done through various actions such as making threatening telephone calls, sending letters with threats attached, or posting offensive content on social media sites.
Repeat offenders are those who have committed aggravated harassment in the second degree within ten years, or first degree aggravated harassment (a felony), for making threatening or harmful threats against someone based on their religion, race, age gender sexual orientation or disability.
If you are charged with felony harassment for your actions, the consequences can be severe: a substantial fine and possible prison time. Furthermore, this offense will remain on your record, giving prospective employers reason to doubt whether you possess the necessary capacity to carry out duties effectively or manage customers appropriately.
Aggravated harassment is most often defined by New York statute, including phone calls made out of anger or when someone is upset about something. These can be made with the intention to harm, annoy or threaten another person and can even be sent directly through text message, email or letter directly onto their cell phones.
If you or a loved one has been arrested or accused of aggravated harassment in NYC, the most important step you can take is to reach out to an experienced aggravated harassment attorney right away. Our legal team will review the details of your case and guide you through the confusing criminal justice system so that you get the best outcome.
What is a Crime of Aggravated Assault?
Aggravated assault is a felony charge that may be leveled against you if someone alleges you of engaging in physical altercation with another individual. If this has happened to you, it’s important to hire an experienced criminal defense attorney as soon as possible to fight these allegations and protect yourself legally.
Aggravated assault is a felony that may carry significant jail time. Your exact sentence depends on the severity of the assault, its underlying circumstances and whether or not there was any weapon used during the incident.
For an assault to be considered an offense, the victim must have suffered more than temporary discomfort from the contact and it was done without their consent. For instance, if someone were thrown into a glass object and broke several ribs, this would qualify as an aggravated assault.
Furthermore, you must have intended for the contact or act to cause injury. This can be difficult to prove because an accusation of assault could be made even if there was no intent to hurt the individual but nevertheless you did.
However, there are certain circumstances which could help you avoid a conviction for aggravated assault. You could claim that the person accused of attacking you did not have reasonable cause to fear being violently injured.
If you are found guilty of an aggravated assault, the maximum punishment could be twenty years in prison and/or a fine of up to $25,000. This is the maximum punishment for a first-degree felony offense.
Aggravated assault has different penalties in every state, but typically carries a minimum prison term of six months. That’s why hiring an experienced criminal defense attorney who understands your state’s aggravated assault laws is so important.
Most states treat simple assault as a misdemeanor offense, however some jurisdictions consider some assaults to be crimes of aggravated assault when the victim was threatened with a dangerous weapon or experienced violence that exceeded that of a minor slap across the face. If there is proof of provocation, however, your assault can be downgraded to a less serious offense.
What is a Crime of Aggravated Burglary?
Aggravated burglary is a criminal offense that takes place when someone commits burglary while armed with a deadly weapon. In most states, this offense is considered a felony and may carry severe punishments including incarceration.
Burglaries in buildings are typically committed by groups of individuals. It can also occur if individuals enter a building alone and trespass on someone else’s property without authorization.
There are several factors that can make a burglary charge aggravated, such as the use of a deadly weapon and threats of physical harm to the victim. These aggravating elements, referred to as “aggravating elements”, of the crime are difficult to prove in court.
In most cases, an element of aggravation must be present at the time of the crime in order for it to be classified as aggravated burglary. Unfortunately, some states lack a definitive definition of this offense in their penal codes.
The most prevalent charge of aggravated burglary in most states is burglary in the first degree, which carries a serious felony penalty and can result in up to five years in prison.
If you are facing an aggravated burglary charge, there are steps you can take to safeguard yourself from conviction. One of the most crucial is proving that you were not armed when entering the premises in question.
You may also attempt to demonstrate that you had no intention of causing any damage to the property in question or that the harm was done by another individual. Doing so may reduce your aggravated burglary charge and even get it dismissed entirely.
Furthermore, if you are convicted of this crime, it will remain on your criminal record and could negatively impact your prospects for employment or school admission. Employers and universities typically require background checks on job applicants in order to confirm their legitimacy.
If you are facing burglary charges, it is essential that you reach out to a criminal defense attorney immediately. A knowledgeable lawyer can explain the charges and assist in fighting them.
