Baton Rouge Violent Crimes Defense Lawyer

How Many Violent Crimes Happen in the U.S. Every Year?

Unfortunately, violent crimes are a daily occurrence in the United States. Data from the FBI claims that 1,203,808 violent crimes occurred in 2019 alone. The majority of these violent crimes (68%) were aggravated assaults. Meanwhile, 22% of these crimes were robbery offenses, 8% were rape, and 1.4% were murder.

How Many Violent Crimes Happen in Louisiana Every Year?

Every year, Louisiana ranks as one of the most violent states in the nation. In 2020, Louisiana had the highest per capita murder rate in the U.S. for the 32nd year in a row (since 1989). The murder rate that year was 15.8 per 100,000 people.

New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Shreveport had the highest violent crime rates in 2018 according to data from the FBI. Handguns are the most common murder weapon in Louisiana, used in almost 45% of murders. Aside from murder, some of the most common violent crimes that occur statewide are rape, robberies, and aggravated assault.

What is Considered a Violent Crime in Louisiana?

Louisiana considers the following types of crimes as violent crimes:

• First degree murder
• Second degree murder
• First, second, or third degree feticide
• Aggravated assault and battery
• Domestic violence
• Homicide (including negligent or vehicular homicide)
• Manslaughter
• Rape
• Aggravated arson
• First degree robbery, second degree robbery, and armed robbery
• Aggravated burglary
• Hate crimes

Violent Crimes That Our Criminal Defense Lawyers Handle

Our Baton Rouge criminal defense law firm has the skill and experience necessary to defend you if you’re facing criminal charges of a violent nature. If you are facing one of the violent crime charges listed below, contact a criminal defense lawyer at the Law Offices of Ossie Brown.

Sexual Violence

The two main types of sex crimes in Louisiana are sexual battery and rape. Sexual battery occurs when someone touches a victim’s genitals or anus without their consent, or forces the victim to touch their genitals or anus. In most cases, sexual battery is not considered a violent crime.

Rape (AKA sexual assault), on the other hand, is often considered a violent crime because it involves nonconsensual penetration in the mouth, anus, or vagina. Louisiana law specifies a few different types of rape, such as:

• Aggravated Rape (First Degree Rape): This crime occurs when oral, anal, or vaginal penetration happens alongside the use of force or a deadly weapon. Many victims suffer bodily harm during aggravated rape.
• Second Degree Rape (Forcible Rape): This crime occurs when someone engages in nonconsensual oral, anal, or vaginal penetration with threats of bodily harm. Using date rape drugs before nonconsensual penetration is also considered forcible rape in Louisiana.
• Third Degree Rape (Simple Rape): This crime occurs when someone engages in nonconsensual oral, anal, or vaginal penetration when the victim is intoxicated or mentally incapacitated.

Domestic Violence

According to Louisiana law, domestic abuse battery occurs when a member of the household intentionally uses physical force or engages in violence against another member of the household. Possible victims of domestic violence could be romantic partners, ex romantic partners, roommates, and children. Common types of violence that occur among household members are beatings, shootings, stabbings, and sexual violence.

Robbery

Louisiana law lists several different types of robbery. The types of robbery that are considered violent are:

• First Degree Robbery: During this type of crime, the victim believes that the perpetrator has a deadly weapon on them while they are stealing something. While bodily harm or death doesn’t occur during this type of robbery, it’s still considered violent due to the use of threats and force. The victim generally believes that their life is in danger, even if it really isn’t.
• Second Degree Robbery: During this type of crime, the perpetrator inflicts serious bodily injury on the victim while they are stealing something.
• Armed Robbery: During this type of crime, a perpetrator is armed with a deadly weapon while they are stealing something. They may also use force or intimidation.

Aggravated Burglary

Louisiana law lists a couple types of burglary. However, the type of burglary that’s considered violent is aggravated burglary. Aggravated burglary occurs when a perpetrator illegally enters a piece of property with a dangerous weapon in order to commit a theft crime. The perpetrator may or may not inflict bodily harm onto the victim.

Aggravated Assault and Aggravated Battery

Louisiana law defines aggravated assault as a type of crime in which someone causes (or attempts to cause) serious bodily injury upon a victim with or without a dangerous weapon. A perpetrator can also face an aggravated assault charge when they merely threaten to physically injure someone. If the victim believes that the perpetrator has the means to physically injure them which causes them to fear for their safety, the perpetrator could potentially face criminal charges.

Meanwhile, aggravated battery occurs when a perpetrator inflicts severe bodily injury upon their victim with a dangerous weapon.

Homicide

According to Louisiana law, homicide occurs when someone kills another person through act or omission. There are five main types of homicide, and they are: first degree murder, second degree murder, manslaughter, negligent homicide, and vehicular homicide.

The main difference between a homicide charge and a murder charge is malice aforethought, which is the intention to kill someone. People who are convicted of criminal offenses like homicide are those that kill someone without planning to do so beforehand. Some homicides are even legally justified. For example, maybe someone was attacked and they had to kill the attacker to save their own life.

Negligent and Vehicular Homicide

Negligent homicide occurs when someone kills another person through criminal negligence. This type of homicide also occurs when someone is killed by a dog (or another animal) and the owner doesn’t attempt to restrain the dog.

Meanwhile, vehicular homicide occurs when someone kills another person while in control of a vehicle such as a car, boat, or motorcycle. A perpetrator can face this type of criminal charge whether or not they intended to gravely injure or kill someone. Additionally, the perpetrator must meet one of the following conditions in order to receive a vehicular homicide conviction:

• The perpetrator was under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.
• Their BAC was 0.08% or higher.

Manslaughter

Manslaughter falls under the legal umbrella of homicide. Manslaughter occurs when someone kills another person in “sudden passion” or “heat of blood” caused by provocation (i.e. an attack). There are two main types of manslaughter, and they are voluntary and involuntary manslaughter.

Voluntary manslaughter occurs when someone kills another person in the “heat of the moment,” like during an attack. Meanwhile, involuntary manslaughter occurs when someone kills another person through criminal negligence or reckless behavior.

A Baton Rouge criminal defense lawyer at the Law Offices of Ossie Brown can represent you if you’re facing violent crime charges such as homicide and manslaughter. However, we do not represent people convicted of murder.