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Tennessee Proposed Bill to Double Fines for Assaulting a Police Officer

By Baker Associates

On May 19, the Tennessee House passed an amendment to Senate Bill 539, removing language creating two distinct offenses for assault or aggravated assault on a police officer. Instead, the amendment, if passed, would simply double fines. Thus, the fine for assault in Tennessee on a police officer would be $5,000, and aggravated assault would carry a fine of $15,000. Proponents of the bill say that the dangerous duties performed by officers warrant building a stronger deterrent into the law against attacks upon them. Opponents, like Senator Frank Nicely of Strawberry Plains, say that assault simply comes with the territory. ?If you?re going to milk cows, you?re going to get kicked every now and then,? he stated. (Source: Knoxville News Sentinel, May 20, 2009)...continue to full post

Full post as published by Tennessee Criminal Lawyer Blog on June 01, 2009 (boomark / email).