Boston Celtics guard Jabari Bird is facing a multitude of charges from a domestic violence incident. Bird is accused of choking, kidnapping, and assaulting a woman he had a romantic relationship with.
The victim was allegedly choked to the point of unconsciousness, among other disturbing details, in an attack that lasted over a period of hours. Domestic assault and battery falls under Massachusetts General Law Chapter 265, Section 13A. Simple domestic assault and battery charge is a misdemeanor and carries a potential penalty of up to two and half years in jail. However, if certain aggravating factors exist, the charge and sentencing can be elevated to felony levels.
Aggravating factors include “serious bodily injury,” which refers to permanent disfigurement, loss or impairment of a bodily function, limb or organ, or a substantial risk of death. A charge for strangulation falls under Massachusetts General Law Chapter 265, Section 15, and carries a potential prison sentence of five years. Again, aggravating factors would increase this sentence up to ten years. The kidnapping charge falls under Massachusetts General Law Chapter 265, Section 26 and carries a potential prison sentence of ten years. The presence of aggravating factors expands this prison sentence to a minimum of twenty-five years and the maximum of life. The Celtics issued a statement in which they said their “thoughts [are] with the victim.”
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This article was written with contributions from Tim Piscatelli.
