It sounds like you are affiliated with the victim of the crime and that the Government is not listening to your requests. Aggravated Assault is Assault with a weapon and is a third degree felony. In Utah, a third-degree felony is punishable of 0-5 years and a fine of $5,000 plus surcharges. A third-degree felony is the lowest tiered felony, underneath a third-degree felony is a Class A misdemeanor which carries a punishment of 0-1 year in jail and a $2,500 fine plus surcharges. My hunch is that the Government is either trying to enter into a plea bargain with the criminal or are reducing the charges because they don't have enough facts to support a charge of Aggravated Assault. The best thing for you to do is to hire an Attorney to find out exactly what is going on and how to stop the State from reducing it's charges. Regardless, Utah has enacted the Crimes Victim Restitution Act that compensates a Victim's loss. Victim's hold a lot of weight when the Sentencing Hearing comes. Judges in Utah are actively engaged in ensuring that Victim's are compensated for and their voices are heard at Sentencing which can greatly affect the time a criminal serves. Contact with the Prosecutor and Investigating Officer are the best ways forward with a legal representative.
Answered on Sep 11th, 2012 at 12:51 AM