720 ILCS 5/12-3.05(a)(2) – Heinous Battery
This law says it’s a serious crime to hurt someone badly using dangerous substances or materials.
This Illinois law explains that if someone seriously injures another person using harmful chemicals, fire, poison, or explosives, that act is called aggravated battery. and is punished very severely.
(a) Offense Based on Injury: A person commits aggravated battery (not involving a gun) when they knowingly cause another person serious and lasting harm, disfigurement, or disability.
- This is considerered heinous battery when by using things like:
A caustic or flammable substance (something that burns or eats away skin, like acid),
a poisonous gas,
a deadly biological or chemical agent,
a radioactive substance, or
a bomb or explosive compound.
(h) Sentence: Heinous battery, as described in subsection (a)(2), is a Class X felony, for which the person must go to prison for at least 6 years and can be sentenced for up to 45 years.
(i) Definitions: This part explains some words used in this law.
- “Building or other structure used to provide shelter” means a place that gives protection to people, like a domestic violence shelter.
- “Domestic violence” means abuse or harm between family or household members.
- “Domestic violence shelter” means a place that protects people escaping abuse or their children, including the nearby area (up to 500 feet around it).
- “Firearm” means a real gun that uses gunpowder to shoot (not an air rifle).
- “Machine gun” means a gun that can shoot many bullets quickly with one pull of the trigger.
- “Merchant” means a store owner or business worker who sells goods.
- “Strangle” means to stop someone from breathing or cause blood not to flow normally by squeezing their neck or covering their mouth or nose.
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