Opinion ID: 3044975
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Relevant Statute

Text: 18 U.S.C. § 111(a) provides, in relevant part: (a) In general.—Whoever— (1) forcibly assaults, resists, opposes, impedes, intimidates, or interferes with any person designated in section 1114[2] of this 2 “[A]ny officer or employee of the United States or of any agency in any branch of the United States Government (including any member of the uniformed services).” 18 U.S.C. § 1114. 4 Case: 12-13809 Date Filed: 01/16/2014 Page: 5 of 25 title while engaged in or on account of the performance of official duties; .... shall, where the acts in violation of this section constitute only simple assault, be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both, and where such acts involve physical contact with the victim of that assault or the intent to commit another felony, be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 8 years, or both. 18 U.S.C. § 111(b) provides: (b) Enhanced penalty.—Whoever, in the commission of any acts described in subsection (a), uses a deadly or dangerous weapon (including a weapon intended to cause death or danger but that fails to do so by reason of a defective component) or inflicts bodily injury, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both. 18 U.S.C. § 111(a) and (b) establish three levels of forcible assault: (1) simple assault, (2) “all other cases” of forcible assault, namely instances of forcible assault that involve physical contact with the victim of the assault or the intent to commit another felony; and (3) “all other cases” of forcible assault where the defendant uses a deadly or dangerous weapon or inflicts bodily injury. United States v. Martinez, 486 F.3d 1239, 1244-45 (11th Cir. 2007). A “simple assault” is defined as “a willful attempt to inflict injury upon the person of another, or . . . a threat to inflict injury upon the person of another which, when coupled with an apparent present ability, causes a reasonable apprehension of immediate bodily harm.” Martinez, 486 F.3d at 1245 (quoting United States v. Fallen, 256 F.3d 5 Case: 12-13809 Date Filed: 01/16/2014 Page: 6 of 25 1082, 1088 (11th Cir. 2001)). A “simple assault” exists only in instances where there is no physical contact. Id. at 1246.