Menacing

Menacing, brandishment or brandishing are criminal offenses in many U.S. states consisting of displaying a weapon with the intent of placing another person in fear of imminent physical injury or death. The term "brandish" means, with respect to a firearm, to display all or part of the firearm, or otherwise make the presence of the firearm known to another person, in order to intimidate that person, regardless of whether the firearm is directly visible to that person. — 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(4). Such implied threats can constitute extortion if used to coerce a decision. Depending on the jurisdiction, degrees of offense range from a misdemeanor for first-time offenders, to low- to mid-level felonies for offenders with a prior menacing charge. Self-defense is often explicitly given as an exception. The tangentially related crime of "Menacing By Stalking" was introduced as a new charge in some states following the popularization of laws specifically targeting stalking behavior, in which a perpetrator adopts a long-term pattern of actions designed to frighten and harass a victim while still adhering to the letter of existing harassment laws.

Menacing, brandishment or brandishing are criminal offenses in many U.S. states consisting of displaying a weapon with the intent of placing another person in fear of imminent physical injury or death. The term "brandish" means, with respect to a firearm, to display all or part of the firearm, or otherwise make the presence of the firearm known to another person, in order to intimidate that person, regardless of whether the firearm is directly visible to that person. — 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(4). Such implied threats can constitute extortion if used to coerce a decision. Depending on the jurisdiction, degrees of offense range from a misdemeanor for first-time offenders, to low- to mid-level felonies for offenders with a prior menacing charge. Self-defense is often explicitly given as an exception. The tangentially related crime of "Menacing By Stalking" was introduced as a new charge in some states following the popularization of laws specifically targeting stalking behavior, in which a perpetrator adopts a long-term pattern of actions designed to frighten and harass a victim while still adhering to the letter of existing harassment laws. ==References== ==External links== US Legal, Inc. law dictionary. . State of Colorado Penal Code Menacing Statute State of New York Penal Code Menacing Statute Louisville Courier-Journal. Metro Crime Data Center: Menacing.

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