Charlestown Assault Charge

As reported by Gregory Smith in the February 25, 2011 edition of the Providence Journal, a Charlestown man was arrested on domestic violence charges. He was charged with simple assault, failure to relinquish a telephone, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.  Following his arrest, the man was taken into federal custody, after it was learned that he had been deported from the United States and had illegally re-entered the country.

 Pursuant to Rhode Island General Law, 12-29-5, domestic violence is defined as including, but is not limited to, any of the following offenses when committed by one family or household member against another: simple assault, felony assault, vandalism, disorderly conduct, trespass, kidnapping, child snatching, sexual assault, homicide, violation of a protective order or a no contact order, stalking, refusal to relinquish, damage or obstruction of a telephone.  The definition of "family or household member" is broadly written to reflect the diverse nature of the modern American family and includes persons who are or have been in substantive dating or engagement relationships.  An assault consists of a threat of physical violence.  A battery occurs when actual physical violence or non-consensual touching occurs.