Penalties for Domestic Assault and Battery by Strangulation
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed a bill into law on May 18, 2020, that reclassed several types of domestic abuse charges as violent crimes. This includes domestic abuse by strangulation, as well as domestic assault and battery with a deadly weapon, domestic assault with a dangerous weapon, and domestic assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.
House Bill 3251 goes into effect on November 1, 2020. It changes the punishment to a maximum of 10 years in prison, as opposed to the three years in prison outlined under the previous law. Subsequent offenses now result in a maximum of 20 years in prison, as opposed to the previous maximum of 10 years in prison. House Bill 3251 will also require offenders to serve at least half of their term before they are eligible for parole.
As with other forms of felony domestic violence, a conviction for domestic assault and battery by strangulation comes with other punishments including:
- Strip you of your gun rights
- Leave you with a criminal record that can make it harder to find housing and employment
- Limit your ability to practice in certain professions requiring licensure, including dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, and cosmetology
- Prevent you from running for office within 15 years of completing your sentence
- Potentially prevent you from fostering or adopting a child
- Potentially lead to deportation if you are not a US citizen
You Need Legal Help Now
When you’re facing charges for domestic assault and battery by strangulation, the worst thing you can do is hope the matter resolves itself. Even if you believe the situation is the result of a misunderstanding, and the alleged victim doesn’t want to press charges, the state has the full authority to continue with the case.
Since there have been multiple cases throughout the United States of people accused of strangulation who later murdered their victims, the court prefers to err on the side of caution and push for the harshest possible sentence. Failing to be proactive about building your defense is likely to leave you sitting behind bars.
We explain why it’s important to take all forms of domestic violence charges seriously in our free guide, Domestic Violence Charges in Oklahoma: What You Need to Know. This guide provides an in-depth look at what to expect after you’ve been arrested and how to avoid common mistakes that limit your ability to mount an effective defense.
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