Defending Against The Charge Of Making Terroristic Threats

 

Terroristic Threats Attorney Serving Chester County, Delaware County And Throughout Pennsylvania

When facing a charge of making terroristic threats in Pennsylvania, you could be looking at a lengthy prison sentence. If the charge is enhanced with an additional charge of using a gun or another deadly weapon, the amount of jail time you could be facing will carry an additional six-month penalty. When charged with the serious crime of making terroristic threats, you need to hire an attorney who is not only a seasoned trial lawyer, but also a former prosecutor.

From offices in West Chester, our terroristic threats lawyers represent clients charged in Chester County, Montgomery County and Delaware County, as well as state and federal court jurisdictions throughout Pennsylvania. Contact our offices by email to arrange an initial consultation with an experienced West Chester terroristic threats attorney anytime, day or night.

Former County Prosecutor In Chester County

When your back is against the wall facing a serious criminal charge for a violent crime, hire an experienced trial lawyer to represent you in court. Terroristic threats attorney Evan J. Kelly is a former assistant district attorney with the Chester County District Attorney’s Office and former chief counsel of oversight and investigations for the United States Senate Judiciary Committee under Sen. Arlen Specter. He knows what the government has to prove to obtain a conviction on charges of making terroristic threats.

Elements Of The Pennsylvania Crime Terroristic Threats

For the government to convict someone of terroristic threats, it must show that the accused communicated, either directly or indirectly, a threat to:

1. Commit any crime of violence with intent to terrorize another
2. Cause evacuation of a building, place of assembly or facility of public transportation
3. Otherwise cause serious public inconvenience or cause terror or serious public inconvenience with reckless disregard of the risk of causing such terror or inconvenience

Hire An Attorney Who Will Aggressively Defend You Against Terroristic Threats Charges

One defense against the criminal charge of terroristic threats is something the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania refers to as transitory anger. What transitory anger means is that the accused never had the intent to terrorize another person when he or she threatened that person. Pennsylvania courts recognize that people say things out of anger in the heat of the moment. Just because the accused threatened to beat someone up or kill someone during a fit of anger doesn’t mean that the accused ever possessed the intent to carry out the threat or that the accused made the threat with an intent to terrorize the other person.

Another defense against the charge of terroristic threats is possible when the accused makes a so-called “hypothetical threat.” An example of this occurs when someone says to another person, “If you ever kick my dog again, I will kill you.” This is a threat made not with the intent to terrorize someone, but instead to let someone know to stay away from the dog.

Chester County Terroristic Threats Lawyer

Chester County terroristic threats lawyer Evan Kelly offers a free confidential consultation to those facing any type of violent crime charge. During this consultation, Evan Kelly will review your situation and answer your questions to help you avoid a conviction for this serious offense.

Contact Chester County sexual assault attorney Evan J. Kelly today.