Legal Question in Criminal Law in Colorado
threats/harrassment
i need to know what it takes to press charges on someone who has threatened to come from north carolina to where i am in colorado and ''beat me within an inch of my life''. those are his exact words. i am wheelchair bound and want to know if it can be considered a hate crime? and i want to know what the law states about such long distance threats? plus i want this person prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: threats/harrassment
A threat of the type you relate generally isn't considered an assault, because unless the guy is phoning you from an airplane, or at least the airport, and telling you he's going to be at your house to beat you to a pulp, it isn't likely to happen anytime soon.
It is, however, a crime of harassment to call someone by phone and threaten bodily harm (a misdemeanor), and, if the behavior is repeated, stalking may be charged, which is a felony.
You ought to report any such threats to not only your local police, but to your threatener's local police, each and every time it happens.
It is unlikely the behavior would qualify as a hate crime, unless there is some proof the jackass has a special grudge against people who don't stand up when he enters a room.
Good luck.
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