As reported by Alisha Pina in the September 11, 2014 edition of the Providence Journal, a Providence man has been found guilty of several domestic charges including assault, vandalism, failure to relinquish a telephone and malicious injury to animals. A jury found the man guilty of killing his girlfriend's dog. He then assaulted the girlfriend and broke her cell phone. He will be sentenced in the coming months.
Pursuant to Rhode Island General Laws, 12-29, the Domestic Violence Prevention Act, there are seventeen (17) different crimes which can be charged as domestic violence crimes. They are simple assault, felony assault, vandalism, disorderly conduct, trespass, kidnapping, child-snatching, sexual assault, homicide, violation of a protective order, violation of a no-contact order, stalking, failure to relinquish a telephone/damage a telephone, burglary, arson, cyberstalking/cyberharrassment and domestic assault by strangulation.
A specific type of relationship defined as a family or household member which must exist between the parties for the crime to be considered domestic. "Family or household member" means spouses, former spouses, adult persons related by blood or marriage, adult persons who are presently residing together or who have resided together in the past three (3) years, and persons who have a child in common regardless of whether they have been married or have lived together, or if persons who are or have been in a substantive dating or engagement relationship within the past one year which shall be determined by the court's consideration of the following factors:
(1) the length of time of the relationship;
(2) the type of the relationship;
(3) the frequency of the interaction between the parties.
If convicted of a domestic violence crime, domestic violence counseling is an additional penalty imposed.
If you or a family member has been charged with domestic assault, domestic vandalism or other domestic violence crimes, please allow Attorney Robert H. Humphrey's reputation, experience and skill to successfully guide you through the legal process. Please contact Attorney Robert H. Humphrey, Esq., at 401-816-5862 or e-mail him at rhh@rhumphreylaw.com.