The commission of a violent crime is one that comes with criminal charges. In many cases, violent crimes include the terminology “deadly weapon.” If you are facing a case that involves this, you might wonder exactly what constitutes a deadly weapon.
Many people think that only guns and knives are deadly weapons, but this isn’t the case. Anything that can cause death can fall under this category. There is a difference between a deadly weapon and a dangerous weapon.
A dangerous weapon is one that can lead to serious injuries when it is used. This doesn’t mean that it can’t cause death, but it means it isn’t likely to. These can vary greatly and might depend on the situation in which the item is used. For example, a tire iron can be lawfully used to change a tire; however, if you hit someone with it, it might be considered a deadly or dangerous weapon based on your chosen use.
Interestingly, unloaded firearms are usually considered deadly weapons and not dangerous ones. You don’t have to use the gun to face a charge for it. Simply threatening someone with a firearm is often enough to land you in jail on criminal charges.
There are some instances in which these two terms might be used to mean the same thing. This is because the differences are very subtle. If you are facing criminal charges that include a weapon, you should learn about the actual accusation against you. This might help you to determine how you are going to answer the charges.
