KINGSHILL — Superior Court Magistrate Judge Yolan C. Brow-Ross is scheduled to see three defendants in her courtroom in Estate Kingshill on St. Croix this morning:
Lafayette Artis Jr., 28, of St. Croix, has a hearing after his arrest Saturday on an assault charge , specifically Court records show, 14 Virgin Islands Code § 298 refers to Aggravated assault and battery.
This statute defines several scenarios for aggravated assault and battery in the U.S. Virgin Islands, including when it is committed:
- By a person in disguise.
- When a deadly weapon is used.
- With premeditated design to inflict bodily injury.
- By an adult male upon a female or child, or an adult female upon a child.
Violations of this section can result in fines up to $500 or imprisonment for not more than 1 year, or both, with higher penalties for domestic violence.
Melchisedek Huggins has an advice-of-rights hearing after his arrest on domestic violence assault charges, Court records show, specifically Virgin Islands Code § 297 (14 V.I.C. § 297) which defines Assault in the Third Degree, as a crime involving assaulting someone under circumstances like intending to commit a felony, using a deadly weapon, intending great bodily harm, or causing serious injury, with penalties including fines and imprisonment, and higher penalties if the victim is a peace officer, according to WomensLaw.org’s summary of VI Statutes.
According to 16 V.I.C. § 91(b), acts of domestic violence include:
- Assault
- Battery
- Burglary
- Kidnapping
- Unlawful sexual contact
- Rape
- Forcible or unlawful entry
- Coercion
- Destruction of property
- Harassment
- Threats
- False imprisonment
- Stalking
- Violation of a restraining order
The underlying acts are typically prosecuted as separate crimes under Title 14 (Crimes) of the Virgin Islands Code, but are categorized under Title 16 when involving a domestic relationship.
Key Details of 14 V.I.C. § 297:
Penalties: Fines and/or imprisonment, with increased penalties for assaulting a peace officer.
Definition (a): Assaults with intent to commit a felony, with a deadly weapon, with premeditated design for great bodily harm, or causing serious bodily injury.
Definition (b): Assaulting a peace officer in the line of duty with a weapon, when the officer’s status was known.
According to 16 V.I.C. § 91(b), acts of domestic violence include:
- Assault
- Battery
- Burglary
- Kidnapping
- Unlawful sexual contact
- Rape
- Forcible or unlawful entry
- Coercion
- Destruction of property
- Harassment
- Threats
- False imprisonment
- Stalking
- Violation of a restraining order
The underlying acts are typically prosecuted as separate crimes under Title 14 (Crimes) of the Virgin Islands Code, but are categorized under Title 16 when involving a domestic relationship.
Alexander James Schrodt has a hearing after his arrest on an assault charge, court records show, specifically, 14 V.I. Code § 299 which defines the crime of Simple Assault and Battery, which involves committing a basic assault or battery without aggravating circumstances, punishable by a fine up to $250, imprisonment up to six months, or both, as detailed in the Virgin Islands Code.
Key Details:
- Statute: Title 14 (Crimes), Chapter 13 (Assault and Battery).
- Definition: Committing a simple assault or battery without aggravating factors (like serious injury or specific weapon use).
- Penalty: Up to $250 fine, up to 6 months in jail, or both.
This code section covers less severe forms of assault and battery, distinguishing them from aggravated offenses.
16 Virgin Islands Code § 91(b) defines Domestic Violence.
It does not define a single, specific crime, but rather lists the criminal acts that, when committed against a protected person (such as a spouse, intimate partner, or household member), constitute an act of domestic violence in the Virgin Islands.
According to 16 V.I.C. § 91(b), the crimes that fall under the definition of domestic violence include:
- Assault
- Battery
- Burglary
- Kidnapping
- Unlawful sexual contact
- Rape
- Forcible or unlawful entry
- Coercion
- Destruction of property
- Harassment
- Threats
- False imprisonment
- Stalking
- Violation of a restraining order
These underlying acts are often prosecuted in conjunction with 16 V.I.C. § 91(b), which designates them as domestic violence offenses.