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21-5413. Battery; aggravated battery; battery against certain persons; aggravated battery against certain persons. (a) Battery is:

(1) Knowingly or recklessly causing bodily harm to another person; or

(2) knowingly causing physical contact with another person when done in a rude, insulting or angry manner.

(b) Aggravated battery is:

(1) (A) Knowingly causing great bodily harm to another person or disfigurement of another person;

(B) knowingly causing bodily harm to another person with a deadly weapon, or in any manner whereby great bodily harm, disfigurement or death can be inflicted; or

(C) knowingly causing physical contact with another person when done in a rude, insulting or angry manner with a deadly weapon, or in any manner whereby great bodily harm, disfigurement or death can be inflicted;

(2) (A) recklessly causing great bodily harm to another person or disfigurement of another person;

(B) recklessly causing bodily harm to another person with a deadly weapon, or in any manner whereby great bodily harm, disfigurement or death can be inflicted; or

(3) (A) committing an act described in K.S.A. 8-1567, and amendments thereto, when great bodily harm to another person or disfigurement of another person results from such act; or

(B) committing an act described in K.S.A. 8-1567, and amendments thereto, when bodily harm to another person results from such act under circumstances whereby great bodily harm, disfigurement or death can result from such act; or

(4) committing an act described in K.S.A. 8-1567, and amendments thereto, when great bodily harm to another person or disfigurement of another person results from such act while:

(A) In violation of any restriction imposed on such person's driving privileges pursuant to article 10 of chapter 8 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, and amendments thereto;

(B) such person's driving privileges are suspended or revoked pursuant to article 10 of chapter 8 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, and amendments thereto; or

(C) such person has been deemed a habitual violator as defined in K.S.A. 8-285, and amendments thereto, including at least one violation of K.S.A. 8-1567, and amendments thereto, or violating an ordinance of any city in this state, any resolution of any county in this state or any law of another state, which ordinance, resolution or law declares to be unlawful the acts prohibited by that statute.

(c) Battery against a law enforcement officer is:

(1) Battery as defined in subsection (a)(2) committed against a:

(A) Uniformed or properly identified university or campus police officer while such officer is engaged in the performance of such officer's duty;

(B) uniformed or properly identified state, county or city law enforcement officer, other than a state correctional officer or employee, a city or county correctional officer or employee or a juvenile detention facility officer, or employee, while such officer is engaged in the performance of such officer's duty;

(C) uniformed or properly identified federal law enforcement officer while such officer is engaged in the performance of such officer's duty;

(D) judge, while such judge is engaged in the performance of such judge's duty;

(E) attorney, while such attorney is engaged in the performance of such attorney's duty; or

(F) community corrections officer or court services officer, while such officer is engaged in the performance of such officer's duty;

(2) battery as defined in subsection (a)(1) committed against a:

(A) Uniformed or properly identified university or campus police officer while such officer is engaged in the performance of such officer's duty;

(B) uniformed or properly identified state, county or city law enforcement officer, other than a state correctional officer or employee, a city or county correctional officer or employee or a juvenile detention facility officer, or employee, while such officer is engaged in the performance of such officer's duty;

(C) uniformed or properly identified federal law enforcement officer while such officer is engaged in the performance of such officer's duty;

(D) judge, while such judge is engaged in the performance of such judge's duty;

(E) attorney, while such attorney is engaged in the performance of such attorney's duty; or

(F) community corrections officer or court services officer, while such officer is engaged in the performance of such officer's duty; or

(3) battery as defined in subsection (a) committed against a:

(A) State correctional officer or employee by a person in custody of the secretary of corrections, while such officer or employee is engaged in the performance of such officer's or employee's duty;

(B) state correctional officer or employee by a person confined in such juvenile correctional facility, while such officer or employee is engaged in the performance of such officer's or employee's duty;

(C) juvenile detention facility officer or employee by a person confined in such juvenile detention facility, while such officer or employee is engaged in the performance of such officer's or employee's duty; or

(D) city or county correctional officer or employee by a person confined in a city holding facility or county jail facility, while such officer or employee is engaged in the performance of such officer's or employee's duty.

(d) Aggravated battery against a law enforcement officer is:

(1) Aggravated battery as defined in subsection (b)(1)(A) committed against a:

(A) Uniformed or properly identified state, county or city law enforcement officer while the officer is engaged in the performance of the officer's duty;

(B) uniformed or properly identified university or campus police officer while such officer is engaged in the performance of such officer's duty;

(C) uniformed or properly identified federal law enforcement officer while such officer is engaged in the performance of such officer's duty;

(D) judge, while such judge is engaged in the performance of such judge's duty;

(E) attorney, while such attorney is engaged in the performance of such attorney's duty; or

(F) community corrections officer or court services officer, while such officer is engaged in the performance of such officer's duty;

(2) aggravated battery as defined in subsection (b)(1)(B) or (b)(1)(C) committed against a:

(A) Uniformed or properly identified state, county or city law enforcement officer while the officer is engaged in the performance of the officer's duty;

(B) uniformed or properly identified university or campus police officer while such officer is engaged in the performance of such officer's duty;

(C) uniformed or properly identified federal law enforcement officer while such officer is engaged in the performance of such officer's duty;

(D) judge, while such judge is engaged in the performance of such judge's duty;

(E) attorney, while such attorney is engaged in the performance of such attorney's duty; or

(F) community corrections officer or court services officer, while such officer is engaged in the performance of such officer's duty; or

(3) knowingly causing, with a motor vehicle, bodily harm to a:

(A) Uniformed or properly identified state, county or city law enforcement officer while the officer is engaged in the performance of the officer's duty;

(B) uniformed or properly identified university or campus police officer while such officer is engaged in the performance of such officer's duty; or

(C) uniformed or properly identified federal law enforcement officer while such officer is engaged in the performance of such officer's duty.

(e) Battery against a school employee is a battery as defined in subsection (a) committed against a school employee in or on any school property or grounds upon which is located a building or structure used by a unified school district or an accredited nonpublic school for student instruction or attendance or extracurricular activities of pupils enrolled in kindergarten or any of the grades one through 12 or at any regularly scheduled school sponsored activity or event, while such employee is engaged in the performance of such employee's duty.

(f) Battery against a mental health employee is a battery as defined in subsection (a) committed against a mental health employee by a person in the custody of the secretary for aging and disability services, while such employee is engaged in the performance of such employee's duty.

(g) Battery against a healthcare provider is a battery as defined in subsection (a) committed against a healthcare provider while such provider is engaged in the performance of such provider's duty.

(h) (1) Battery is a class B person misdemeanor.

(2) Aggravated battery as defined in:

(A) Subsection (b)(1)(A) or (b)(4) is a severity level 4, person felony;

(B) subsection (b)(1)(B) or (b)(1)(C) is a severity level 7, person felony;

(C) subsection (b)(2)(A) or (b)(3)(A) is a severity level 5, person felony; and

(D) subsection (b)(2)(B) or (b)(3)(B) is a severity level 8, person felony.

(3) Battery against a law enforcement officer as defined in:

(A) Subsection (c)(1) is a class A person misdemeanor;

(B) subsection (c)(2) is a severity level 7, person felony; and

(C) subsection (c)(3) is a severity level 5, person felony.

(4) Aggravated battery against a law enforcement officer as defined in:

(A) Subsection (d)(1) or (d)(3) is a severity level 3, person felony; and

(B) subsection (d)(2) is a severity level 4, person felony.

(5) Battery against a school employee is a class A person misdemeanor.

(6) Battery against a mental health employee is a severity level 7, person felony.

(7) Battery against a healthcare provider is a class A person misdemeanor.

(i) As used in this section:

(1) "Correctional institution" means any institution or facility under the supervision and control of the secretary of corrections;

(2) "state correctional officer or employee" means any officer or employee of the Kansas department of corrections or any independent contractor, or any employee of such contractor, whose duties include working at a correctional institution;

(3) "juvenile detention facility officer or employee" means any officer or employee of a juvenile detention facility as defined in K.S.A. 38-2302, and amendments thereto;

(4) "city or county correctional officer or employee" means any correctional officer or employee of the city or county or any independent contractor, or any employee of such contractor, whose duties include working at a city holding facility or county jail facility;

(5) "school employee" means any employee of a unified school district or an accredited nonpublic school for student instruction or attendance or extracurricular activities of pupils enrolled in kindergarten or any of the grades one through 12;

(6) "mental health employee" means: (A) An employee of the Kansas department for aging and disability services working at Larned state hospital, Osawatomie state hospital, Kansas neurological institute and Parsons state hospital and training center and the treatment staff as defined in K.S.A. 59-29a02, and amendments thereto; and (B) contractors and employees of contractors under contract to provide services to the Kansas department for aging and disability services working at any such institution or facility;

(7) "judge" means a duly elected or appointed justice of the supreme court, judge of the court of appeals, judge of any district court of Kansas, district magistrate judge or municipal court judge;

(8) "attorney" means a: (A) County attorney, assistant county attorney, special assistant county attorney, district attorney, assistant district attorney, special assistant district attorney, attorney general, assistant attorney general or special assistant attorney general; and (B) public defender, assistant public defender, contract counsel for the state board of indigents' defense services or an attorney who is appointed by the court to perform services for an indigent person as provided by article 45 of chapter 22 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, and amendments thereto;

(9) "community corrections officer" means an employee of a community correctional services program responsible for supervision of adults or juveniles as assigned by the court to community corrections supervision and any other employee of a community correctional services program that provides enhanced supervision of offenders such as house arrest and surveillance programs;

(10) "court services officer" means an employee of the Kansas judicial branch or local judicial district responsible for supervising, monitoring or writing reports relating to adults or juveniles as assigned by the court, or performing related duties as assigned by the court;

(11) "federal law enforcement officer" means a law enforcement officer employed by the United States federal government who, as part of such officer's duties, is permitted to make arrests and to be armed; and

(12) "healthcare provider" means an individual who is licensed, registered, certified or otherwise authorized by the state of Kansas to provide healthcare services in this state.

History: L. 2010, ch. 136, § 48; L. 2011, ch. 30, § 19; L. 2013, ch. 122, § 8; L. 2014, ch. 115, § 20; L. 2015, ch. 90, § 1; L. 2018, ch. 7, § 2; L. 2019, ch. 65, § 1; L. 2023, ch. 94, § 1; July 1.

Source or Prior Law:

21-3412, 21-3413, 21-3414, 21-3415, 21-3443, 21-3448.

CASE ANNOTATIONS

1. State required to prove that an aggravated battery defendant acted while knowing that some type of great bodily harm or disfigurement of another person was reasonably certain to result from defendant's action. State v. Hobbs, 301 Kan. 203, 213, 340 P.3d 1179 (2015).

2. A county employee who is not a correctional officer does not fall under the definition of a "city or county correctional officer or employee." State v. Toliver, 306 Kan. 146, 155, 392 P.3d 119 (2017).

3. Domestic battery is not a lesser-included offense of aggravated battery. State v. Carter, 54 Kan. App. 2d 34, 43, 395 P.3d 458 (2017).

4. Defendant's prior crime of aggravated battery constituted a crime of violence under the United States sentencing guidelines. U.S. v. Williams 888 F.3d 1126 (10 th Cir. 2018).

5. Phrase "can be inflicted" gives adequate notice and sufficient guidance to prevent arbitrary or discriminatory enforcement; statute is not unconstitutionally vague. State v. Williams, 308 Kan. 1439, 1462, 430 P.3d 448 (2018).

6. Distracted driving caused by talking on a cell phone may constitute negligence but does not, by itself, support a criminal conviction for reckless aggravated battery. State v. Warnke, 56 Kan. App. 2d 996, 441 P.3d 1074 (2019).

7. Gruesome photographs used to prove the elements of the crime, including the manner of death and violent nature of the crime, are relevant and admissible. State v. Morris, 311 Kan. 483, 496, 463 P.3d 417 (2020).

8. The crime of aggravated battery may be committed against a fetus, but such crime is not considered a crime of violence under the United States sentencing guidelines. United States v. Adams, 40 F.4th 1162 (10 th Cir. 2022).

9. When acts of aggravated assault and aggravated battery were both distinct from the killing and could serve as predicate felonies for the felony murder charge the court may reject a merger agreement. State v. Waldschmidt, 318 Kan. 633, 645, 546 P.3d 716 (2024).


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