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We have all heard about people being arrested for making bomb threats or other acts of violence. It's a crime that can land you in jail for years and affect your future employment opportunities. But what exactly is a terroristic threat in Texas? What does the law say about these kinds of acts? And who can be charged with this offense? This article will give answers to these questions and more.
A terroristic threat is a statement that threatens to commit an act of violence with the intent to terrorize another.
The threat must be made with the intent to cause fear in others. For example, if you tell your neighbor that you plan on attacking them with a hammer and then proceed to hit them over the head with one, you could potentially be charged with making a terroristic threat.
What does Texas law say about terroristic threats? A terroristic threat is a crime in the state of Texas. The law defines a terroristic threat as an express or implied threat to commit any crime of violence with intent to terrorize another, to cause evacuation of a building, or to cause serious public inconvenience or disruption.
The threat can be made verbally, electronically (such as via email and instant messaging), or in writing.
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However, there are several important requirements for such threats: they must be made with the intent to terrorize another person; they cannot legally be made during an emergency situation where it's necessary that everyone remain calm; and they must not constitute protected speech under the First Amendment (for example by being part of political discourse).
A terroristic threat is a felony, which means the punishment for making one can be up to 10 years in prison.
However, if you make the threat while carrying or possessing explosives (like a bomb), you could face even longer sentences: up to 20 years in prison for possession of explosives and up to 99 years in prison for attempting to manufacture explosives.
The consequences of making a terroristic threat are increased if there was an actual threat of violence with your words or gestures—if you say that you're going to shoot someone at school with an AK-47 tomorrow morning and then proceed to do so. A public servant could also increase your sentence by one degree: from a third degree felony (punishable by 2-10 years) all the way up past first degree murder (punishable by life).
In Texas, the accused must threaten to commit a crime. The threat must be against an individual or individuals, and it must be made in a way that is likely to cause fear in the mind of another.
In some cases, it's enough if you just say something threatening that could make someone frightened. For example, imagine that your friend has been talking about getting her driver’s license so she can drive herself to school this year instead of taking the bus with all of her other friends. You’re excited for her because she has always wanted to learn how to drive but never had anyone teach her how before so now she will be able to do it on her own! Then imagine that one day during lunch when everyone else is out playing sports or chatting at their tables about what movie they want to see next weekend because there isn't any homework due for two days straight
To be convicted of making terroristic threats, you must have had the intent to cause people (or a group) fear. Your threat can be a general declaration or an implied threat. The prosecution must prove that the accused had both the ability and the opportunity to carry out their intended act in order to convict them of this crime.
If you’re facing charges for making terroristic threats in Texas, it is important that you work with your defense attorney to build an effective defense strategy from the very beginning of your case. Contact us today for more information about how we can help!
A terroristic threat is a felony in Texas and can result in up to 10 years in prison. The accused must threaten to commit a crime that would cause serious bodily harm or death with the intent to terrorize another person. If you threaten someone with violence against them or their family, even if it was just an idle comment made while joking around, you could face criminal charges for this action.
For example: Joe says "I'm going to kill your family." He's just kidding around and knows his friend won't take him seriously because of their history together but still feels obligated by friendship to say something like this as part of their banter back and forth. Unfortunately for Joe he was overheard by an angry neighbor who takes offense at what he heard and calls the police about being threatened by Joe's comment; regardless if it was true or not (and it wasn't).
A terroristic threat charge can become felony level if there is a weapon involved, the threat was made against a public official, or if the threat was made against a group of people. If you intended to cause serious bodily harm with your terroristic threat, then you will be facing much more severe penalties than before.
It is an offense just to threaten serious bodily harm. The threat must be made to a specific person and must be made in writing, orally or electronically. The threat must also put the person receiving it in fear of imminent serious bodily injury. You can be charged with a terroristic threat for making a threat of serious bodily harm against another person or his/her property.
False alarms are also illegal in Texas. A person commits a false alarm by knowingly causing an emergency service to be summoned by using the telephone with the intent to deceive, or by making a knowing misrepresentation of fact to law enforcement or fire protection personnel that would cause them to respond. False alarms are considered a misdemeanor on the first offense, and can be charged as either a felony or a state jail felony after that.
A misdemeanor false alarm is punishable by up to 180 days in jail and/or up to $2,000 in fines. A state jail felony false alarm carries punishment of no more than 2 years in prison and/or up to $10,000 in fines (in addition to any other penalties). If you have been convicted of three misdemeanor offenses within 10 years (in this case: two counts), your next conviction will result in being charged with a second-degree felony for which you may serve anywhere between two and 20 years behind bars plus pay between $10k-$100k more than just those other sentences combined! The same applies if you've been previously convicted twice before; only now instead of one count being considered "serious," two are!
If you are facing charges of terroristic threats in Texas, contact an attorney. Attorney Bill Helfand has been practicing criminal law for 30 years and understands the complexities of this particular charge.
Do not talk to police, do not talk to anyone else and do not make any statements. If you are arrested for this offense it is imperative that you immediately contact a qualified defense attorney like Mr. Helfand who will fight for your rights and your freedom!
The bottom line is that terroristic threats are taken very seriously by the state of Texas. If you’re arrested for making a terroristic threat or other threat of violence, you could face serious legal consequences. Even if you aren’t convicted in court, your arrest record will stay on file with the police department and be visible to anyone who does a background check. This means that even if your charges were later dropped or dismissed, it could still affect your ability to get a job or apartment lease in the future because potential employers or landlords might see something on paper indicating that there was an issue at one point in time but nothing has been resolved since then due to lack of evidence against an individual.
What Is A Terroristic Threat In Texas. (2022, Dec 14). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/what-is-a-terroristic-threat-in-texas-essay
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