Not automatically. In Rhode Island the state, not the alleged victim, decides whether to prosecute, so a case can move forward even if the victim wants it [...]
Yes. Self-defense is a full legal justification if you reasonably believed you faced an imminent threat and used proportional force. Rhode Island requires a duty to retreat [...]
Serious bodily injury is a legal term that generally means an injury creating a substantial risk of death, causing permanent disfigurement, or causing protracted loss or impairment [...]
Felony assault under Rhode Island General Laws 11-5-2 is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, with the sentence driven by the weapon involved and the [...]
A dangerous weapon is not limited to a gun or a knife. Rhode Island courts treat any object used in a way capable of causing serious injury [...]
Simple assault is a misdemeanor for an unwanted touching or threat that causes little or no injury. It becomes felony, or aggravated, assault when a dangerous weapon [...]
