Assault and Theft of Pearl Jam Bassist

Posted on: May 18, 2009 at 1:24 p.m.

Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament was recently assaulted and robbed at knife point by thieves in Atlanta, Georgia. While it is unclear where Ament was headed at the time of the assault, video surveillance footage has emerged. Ament was driving a white sport utility vehicle when three men jumped out of some bushes, smashing his car window and demanding money. The bass player attempted to run from the car, but one of the attackers knocked him down, appearing to wield a knife. The three thieves eventually made off with approximately $7,000 worth of cash and stolen property. Ament suffered a cut to his head and was treated by paramedics at the scene of the attack. Atlanta police are still investigating the attack and no arrests have been made.
While Aments attack occurred in Atlanta, Los Angeles laws are very clear on assault, theft and possession of a potentially deadly weapon. Assault is the unlawful attempt to violently injure another person, or the threat of physical violence that could injure a person. Because of the use of a knife, Los Angeles law could classify this as Assault with a Deadly Weapon. In Los Angeles, several types of weapons are considered deadly weapons besides firearms, knives included. Being convicted of Assault with a Deadly Weapon can land you in a state prison for up to four years, while the court can penalize you with as much as $10,000 in fines. Punishments for possession of a deadly weapon such as a knife can vary widely depending on the fact of each case. In Aments situation, the use of violence and a knife would most likely bump the criminal offense up to a felony, making is a potential Strike under Californias Three Strikes laws.
In Los Angeles, stealing more than $400-worth of goods or cash would be considered Grand Theft and would be punishable by up to 16 months in a county jail or state prison if convicted. Grand Theft can be classified as either a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the circumstances of the case.

When you are looking at potentially years spent in jail or a state prison, you need an experienced criminal defense attorney at your side. Call the attorneys at Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin, LLP today to see what legal options you have.

Tagged as: jury trial defense

Comments:

Leilani Materon (UCLA) on June 11, 2009 at 4:18 a.m. wrote:

One thing that I have always been interested in and something that this case deals with is the issue of jurisdiction. It's neat to see the variation in laws respective to city and/or state boundaries. I wonder, however, what the consequences of such subjectivity are. By not having standardized laws across jurisdictions, it's difficult to not think that maybe sometimes justice is only more or less.. somehow it's obsolete and non-definitive. On the other hand I think we are fortunate within the US to have a system that examines each case on a case-by-case basis rather than attempting to develop a 'catchall' system. While it is important for the law to be punitive where necessary, it is also important that the law fit the crime. But that is not to say that striking another person is permissable under any circumstances. Are the monetary punishments in addition to the prison time? If so, I'd say that the legal system is making an honest effort to thwart violence and discourage assault with a deadly weapon.

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