Bar fights may lead to severe penalties
Nashville is a popular tourist spot with numerous bars and clubs, and it may be easy for a visitor to make a poor decision after one too many drinks. Unfortunately, even a minor confrontation in a bar may lead to significant legal charges and consequences. While bar fights may seem relatively harmless, they frequently lead to assault charges, which may be especially complicated for out-of-state tourists. In some cases, an individual may face assault charges for threatening or intimidating someone, even if there is no physical contact.
Tennessee newspapers include frequent reports of bar fights that end in injuries and assault charges. WKRN.com reports the story of a woman hitting another bar patron in the neck with a bottle because she was tired of their conversation. The aggressive women received a charge for aggravated assault. The victim of this altercation received treatment for her wound, but other bar fights have led to serious injuries and even fatalities.
FindLaw states that Tennessee has laws covering both assault and aggravated assault. In many cases, an assault charge is a misdemeanor whereas an aggravated assault charge is a felony. There are also two different types of aggravated assault: intentional and reckless. Assault charges may cover actions such as intentionally harming another person or initiating physical contact that is offensive or provocative. Reckless aggravated assault covers actions such as inflicting severe bodily injury on another person or using or displaying a deadly weapon. Intentional aggravated assault charges may occur when an individual knowingly assaults someone in an attack that includes the use of a deadly weapon, serious bodily injury and/or attempted strangulation. Assault convictions may have penalties including years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines.
