Tennessee Criminal Lawyer Blog

It is one of life’s unspoken rules that you don’t just take the “last one” of something without asking. For example, you don’t take the last slice of pizza or the last dinner roll without asking around to see if anyone else wants it. Failure to do so may earn you some nasty glares and snide comments, or, if you are in the company of forty-one year-old Elizabeth Breeden from Land O’ Lakes, Florida, a good old-fashioned beat down. Ms. Breeden made the news recently when a dispute between her and her boyfriend over who would get the last Natural Light beer turned physical. The boyfriend reportedly opened the beer (without asking it seems) and was immediately swarmed by his girlfriend who was attempting to get the beer out of his hand. She was eventually able to gain some control over the prized beverage and ripped the can in half, spilling its contents on the boyfriend which caused him to stand up. This proved to be a mistake, however, as he was reportedly met with a slap to the face and swift kick to the groin for his efforts. Eventually the police were called and she was charged with domestic battery.

In Tennessee, the woman would be charged with domestic assault. Although the above-described situation is humorous to a point, domestic violence situations certainly are not, and persons found guilty of domestic assault face up to eleven months and twenty-nine days in jail, a fine of up to $200, and loss of the right to carry or even possess a firearm. This is a fairly stiff punishment, and defendants in such situations may need to prove that no assault actually occurred in order to avoid such a sentence. This can be done by showing that the defendant did not intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly cause injury to the victim or that the defendant was actually acting in self-defense. Tennesseans facing such charges would be wise to consult an experienced criminal defense attorney who can assist them in weighing all of their options and defenses.

Source: http://www.aolnews.com/weird-news/article/elizabeth-breeden-jailed-after-police-say-she-fought-boyfriend-for-last-can-of-beer/19524699