Los Angeles criminal threats attorney | terrorist threats

TERRORIST THREATS
CRIMINAL THREATS

Criminal Law • Criminal Charges

Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney
California Criminal Defense Attorney

In California, Terrorist or Criminal Threats are Illegal.

A terrorist or criminal threat is a threat of violence, threat to hurt, injure or kill others with the intent of intimidating or frightening them, or causing public panic.

Examples of terrorist or criminal threats include:

Calling in a bomb threat to the local post office
Sending a threatening e-mail to an abortion clinic or church
Terrorizing a local family for religious or political reasons
Threatening to hurt your ex-wife’s new boyfriend
Threatening harm or injury to a neighbor

The threat may be made in writing, electronically, by phone or in person. It can be made against an individual, a group of people, or a public building or work place.

California Terrorist and Criminal Threats Law
Under California Penal Code Section 422, a terrorist or criminal threat is taken very seriously. To be convicted of a criminal threat charge, the alleged act must meet the following 5 conditions.

The 5 Elements of a Criminal or Terrorist Threats
California Penal Code Section 422

The accused willfully threatened to unlawfully kill or unlawfully inflict great bodily injury on another person
The accused made the threat with the specific intent that it be taken as a threat
The threat is so unequivocal, unconditional, immediate, and specific as to convey a gravity of purpose and the immediate prospect of execution (the person was very clear and specific about carrying out the threat)
The threat actually caused sustained fear in the victim (for "a period of time that extends beyond what is momentary, fleeting, or transitory")
The sustained fear was reasonable

Terrorist and Criminal Threats Penalties
In California, a terrorist or criminal threat may be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony, depending upon the seriousness of the threat and its consequences as well as the discretion of the prosecutor. The punishment will vary accordingly and may include jail time, prison time, parole or probation, and large fines; and you may lose your right to vote or own a gun.

Misdemeanor: the court can impose probation (informal) with or without jail time, community service, physical labor, counseling, restitution (paying the victim), fines ($200 to $2,000), and “stay-away” orders. A conviction also results in the person having a permanent criminal record.
Felony: In California a terrorist or criminal threat is punishable by up to three years in state prison. Criminal or terrorist threats are considered a “strike” under California’s Three Strikes Law.

Defending a Terrorist and Criminal Threats Charge
If you’ve been charged with a terrorist threat, the prosecutor must prove all five requirements listed above. There is a fine line between an off-hand statement or a joke and an actual criminal threat that can be punished by law.

The court will weigh the evidence against the First Amendment protecting freedom of speech.

An Experienced Criminal Defense Attorney is Critical
The California criminal defense attorneys at Stephen G. Rodriguez & Associates are experienced and skilled Los Angeles criminal defense lawyers who provide aggressive representation against allegations of criminal or terrorist threats.

We will pursue and prepare all defenses to these charges. We will also raise issues such as lack of or insufficient evidence, mistaken identity, or your right to freedom of speech where applicable.

We will do this by:

• Immediately challenging the charges
• Conducting extensive investigations
• Interviewing law enforcement officials
• Locating and interviewing all the witnesses associated with the
criminal threat allegations
• Presenting applicable evidence against the person(s) making the charges

Contact Stephen G. Rodriguez & Associates now for a free consultation. We’ll meet with you to privately and confidentially discuss the specific facts of your case.

Law Offices of Stephen G. Rodriguez
633 West 5th Street
26th Floor
Los Angeles, California 90071

Telephone
(213) 223-2173

Los Angeles criminal defense attorneys Stephen G. Rodriguez and Associates represent clients in the Los Angeles county area, which include, Airport Courthouse, Alhambra Superior Court, Antelope Valley Court, Bellflower/Cerritos Courthouse, Beverly Hills Court, Burbank Courthouse, Catalina Courthouse, Central Arraignment Court, Central Civil West Courthouse, Chatsworth Court, Criminal Courts Building/Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center, Compton Superior Court, Culver City Court, David V. Kenyon Juvenile Justice Center, Downey Courthouse, Eastlake Juvenile Court, East Los Angeles Court, El Monte Courthouse, Glendale Courthouse, Hollywood Court, Inglewood Courthouse, Inglewood Juvenile Courthouse, Long Beach Superior Court, Los Padrinos Juvenile Courthouse, Central District Court (Downtown Los Angeles Federal Court), Malibu Court, Mental Health Courthouse, Metropolitan Courthouse, Norwalk Superior Court, Pasadena Superior Court, Pomona Courthouse North, Pomona Courthouse South, Redondo Beach Courthouse, San Fernando Court, San Pedro Court, San Pedro Courthouse Annex, Santa Clarita Court, Santa Monica Court, Stanley Mosk Courthouse, Sylmar Juvenile Court, Torrance Superior Court, Van Nuys Courthouse East, Van Nuys Courthouse West, West Covina/Citrus Court, West Los Angeles Court, and Whittier Superior Court.

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