Suburban Law Enforcement Academy (SLEA) BA State Certification Practice Exam

William can be charged with what for spitting in Dan's face at a public park?

1. Simple assault

2. Aggravated battery

3. Battery

4. Public disorder

The correct answer is: Aggravated battery

Charging William with aggravated battery would not be appropriate in this scenario. The situation involves spitting in someone's face, which generally constitutes an intentional act that causes harm or offense but does not usually rise to the level of aggravated battery. Aggravated battery typically requires the use of a weapon or the intent to cause serious bodily injury, none of which are present in a case of spitting. The correct charge for spitting in someone's face is battery. Battery is defined as intentional and unlawful physical contact with another person, which can include actions that are deemed offensive or harmful, such as spitting. In many jurisdictions, spitting can be viewed as a derogatory act that implies aggression or contempt, thereby fulfilling the criteria for battery. Simple assault, on the other hand, refers to the threat of violence or causing a person to fear imminent harm, which does not necessarily involve physical contact. Public disorder could apply if the act occurred in a way that disrupted the peace or caused a disturbance, but it is not the specific charge one would typically apply to the act of spitting itself. Therefore, in this case, battery is the most fitting charge for William's actions.