Plain English Breakdown
Checked against official source text during the last sync.
Changes to Aggravated Assault Law
This bill amends Tennessee's aggravated assault law by adding brandishing a deadly weapon as an aggravating factor.
What This Bill Does
- Adds brandishing a deadly weapon to the list of actions that make an assault aggravated.
- Defines 'brandish' as waving or exhibiting a weapon in a way that suggests it might be used.
- Updates Tennessee's criminal code to include these changes.
Who It Names or Affects
- People who commit assaults with deadly weapons
- Law enforcement and courts dealing with aggravated assault cases
Terms To Know
- Aggravated Assault
- An assault that involves a weapon or other serious factors, making it more severe than regular assault.
- Brandish
- To wave or exhibit a weapon in a manner that would be found by a reasonable person to indicate a threat to use the weapon.
Limits and Unknowns
- The bill does not specify how brandishing will be proven in court.
- It is unclear what the exact impact on sentencing will be for those charged with aggravated assault due to brandishing.