Certain criminal offenses may not involve any alleged victims being personally affected, but crimes of violence often involve serious injury or possibly even death to another person. Violent crimes are taken very seriously by prosecutors, as alleged offenders are often viewed as being threats to the safety of the general public.
Violent crimes are serious because most offenses cannot be expunged from a person’s criminal record or sealed, so convictions can have an entire lifetime of additional consequences. Beyond possible prison time and fines, a person could face immense challenges obtaining employment, housing, or professional licensing.
Violent Crimes Defense Lawyers in Columbus, OH | Sabol | Mallory
Were you arrested or do you think that you might be under investigation for an alleged crime of violence in the greater Columbus area? Do not say anything to authorities until you have legal representation.
Contact Sabol | Mallory as soon as possible. You can have our attorneys examine your case when you call (614) 300-5088 or contact us online to receive a free consultation.
Types of Violent Crimes in Ohio
Ohio Revised Code § 2901.01(A)(9) defines an offense of violence as meaning any of the following:
- Aggravated murder, Ohio Revised Code § 2903.01
- Murder, Ohio Revised Code § 2903.02
- Voluntary manslaughter, Ohio Revised Code § 2903.03
- Involuntary manslaughter, Ohio Revised Code § 2903.04
- Felonious assault, Ohio Revised Code § 2903.11
- Aggravated assault, Ohio Revised Code § 2903.12
- Assault, Ohio Revised Code § 2903.13
- Permitting child abuse, Ohio Revised Code § 2903.15
- Aggravated menacing, Ohio Revised Code § 2903.21
- Menacing by stalking, Ohio Revised Code § 2903.211
- Menacing, Ohio Revised Code § 2903.22
- Kidnapping, Ohio Revised Code § 2905.01
- Abduction, Ohio Revised Code § 2905.02
- Extortion, Ohio Revised Code § 2905.11
- Trafficking in persons, Ohio Revised Code § 2905.32
- Rape, Ohio Revised Code § 2907.02
- Sexual battery, Ohio Revised Code § 2907.03
- Gross sexual imposition, Ohio Revised Code § 2907.05
- Aggravated arson, Ohio Revised Code § 2909.02
- Arson, Ohio Revised Code § 2909.03
- Terrorism, Ohio Revised Code § 2909.24
- Aggravated robbery, Ohio Revised Code § 2911.01
- Aggravated burglary, Ohio Revised Code § 2911.11
- Inciting to violence, Ohio Revised Code § 2917.01
- Aggravated riot, Ohio Revised Code § 2917.02
- Riot, Ohio Revised Code § 2917.03
- Inducing panic, Ohio Revised Code § 2917.31
- Domestic violence, Ohio Revised Code § 2919.25
- Intimidation, Ohio Revised Code § 2921.03
- Intimidation of attorney, victim or witness in criminal case or delinquent child action proceeding, Ohio Revised Code § 2921.04
- Escape, Ohio Revised Code § 2921.34
- Improperly discharging firearm at or into a habitation, in a school safety zone or with intent to cause harm or panic to persons in a school building or at a school function, Ohio Revised Code § 2923.161
- Patient abuse or neglect, Ohio Revised Code § 2903.34(A)(1)
- Burglary, Ohio Revised Code § 2911.12(A)(1), (2), or (3)
- Endangering children, Ohio Revised Code § 2919.22(B)(1), (2), (3), or (4)
Violent Crimes Defenses
Many violent crimes in Ohio involve a “mens rea” element to the criminal offense that requires a prosecutor to prove that an alleged offender had a specified criminal intent. State law in Ohio divides mental culpability into four different degrees:
- Intentional or Purposely — Ohio Revised Code § 2901.22(A) establishes that a person acts purposely when it is the person's specific intention to cause a certain result, or, when the gist of the offense is a prohibition against conduct of a certain nature, regardless of what the offender intends to accomplish thereby, it is the offender's specific intention to engage in conduct of that nature.
- Knowingly — Under Ohio Revised Code § 2901.22(B), a person acts knowingly, regardless of purpose, when the person is aware that the person's conduct will probably cause a certain result or will probably be of a certain nature. A person has knowledge of circumstances when the person is aware that such circumstances probably exist. When knowledge of the existence of a particular fact is an element of an offense, such knowledge is established if a person subjectively believes that there is a high probability of its existence and fails to make inquiry or acts with a conscious purpose to avoid learning the fact.
- Recklessly — Ohio Revised Code § 2901.22(C) establishes that a person acts recklessly when, with heedless indifference to the consequences, the person disregards a substantial and unjustifiable risk that the person's conduct is likely to cause a certain result or is likely to be of a certain nature. A person is reckless with respect to circumstances when, with heedless indifference to the consequences, the person disregards a substantial and unjustifiable risk that such circumstances are likely to exist.
- Negligently — Under Ohio Revised Code § 2901.22(B), a person acts negligently when, because of a substantial lapse from due care, the person fails to perceive or avoid a risk that the person's conduct may cause a certain result or may be of a certain nature. A person is negligent with respect to circumstances when, because of a substantial lapse from due care, the person fails to perceive or avoid a risk that such circumstances may exist.
Other possible defenses in these cases could include mistaken identity or justification such as self-defense or defense of another person or property.
Columbus, OH Violent Crime Resources
Neighborhood Safety | City of Columbus — The Comprehensive Neighborhood Safety Strategy works to reduce violent crime in the community through various programs. Visit this website to find more information about these programs. You can also find a link to additional information about the Columbus Community Safety Advisory Commission.
Columbus homicides hit record high in 2017 | The Lantern — View a January 2018 Lantern article that reported the 143 homicides in Columbus in 2017 were a record. According to the Lanter, 83 percent of the victims were shot to death. Of the 143 murders last year, 48 took place in the Hilltop and Linden neighborhoods.
Crime in Major Ohio Cities | Quarter 2 2018 — View the full text of a report from the Ohio Department of Public Safety. The 5,044 violent crimes reported in the second quarter of 2018 represent a 6.5% decrease from the 5,395 violent crimes reported in the second quarter of 2017. The 1,619 robberies in 2018 were fewer than the 1,968 reported in 2017, but the 2,841 aggravated assaults were an increase from the 2,716 in 2017.
Contact a Columbus Violent Crimes Defense Attorney Today
If you were arrested or believe that you could be under investigation for an alleged violent crime in the Columbus area, it will be critical for you to retain legal counsel before you speak to police. An experienced lawyer will be able to immediately help you work toward the most favorable outcome to your case.
Sabol | Mallory can fight to possibly get your criminal charges reduced or dismissed. Call (614) 300-5088 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.