Actress Jaime King, who has starred in Pearl Harbor and Sin City, and played a role in the not yet released Ocean’s 8, was parked in Beverley Hills with her 4-year-old son in the car when a man allegedly smashed the windows, showering the child with glass. According to reports, a homeless man was arrested at the scene, after jumping on two cars and kicking in the front and rear windows of King’s Mercedes Benz. The young boy was hit by broken glass but was unhurt, although understandably upset and scared by the incident. Paul Floyd entered pleas of not guilty to charges of vandalism, battery, and cruelty to a child, but could face up to five years in prison if found guilty.
Vandalism is another way of referring to the crime of defacing property, which involves damaging either real property or personal property. Vandalism charges can be applied to someone else’s property, as with the case involving smashed windows on Jaime King’s car, or damages to public property, such as a street sign or street lighting. To use the word of the law, California Penal Code 594 refers to vandalism as “maliciously damaging, defacing, or destroying somebody else’s property without their permission”. You may already have some idea of the type of behavior that can constitute vandalism but, to provide clarity, our Los Angeles criminal defense attorneys regularly handle cases involving:
Many of the vandalism cases we handle involve damage inflicted by juveniles and, although vandalism is generally considered to be a reasonably minor offense, the penalties can vary, depending on whether the damages amount to less or more than $400.
Where the vandalism resulted in damages worth $400 or more, a juvenile convicted of the offense can usually expect penalties to include:
Those over 18 who are found guilty of vandalism in Los Angeles, or elsewhere in California, could face up to 1 year in prison, fines of up to $50,000, or both.
When you have been arrested and are facing any kind of criminal charges, the legal team you choose can have a huge impact on the sentencing you receive. To ensure you benefit from outstanding legal representation, call us today on 310-430-7799 for a free case evaluation.
