Shantayah Lewis will have a V-shaped scar on her face as a symbol of vendetta. Lewis, 17, and her cousin, Shakeena Grant,15, were walking on a street in Brooklyn when a car pulled up.
The two girls were stabbed and slashed by the attackers. Lewis was left with a large V-shaped scar on her face, in what was allegedly a symbol of revenge by the girl who is dating Grant's sister's ex-boyfriend.
"She kept following us...She wanted to fight" Lewis told the NY Daily news.
The attacker had allegedly been tailing the two teens earlier that day, trying to start an altercation. She vowed to return. And return she did, yielding a knife.
The attacker is still at large, and for her sake, she should be searching long and hard for a good New York criminal defense attorney. In New York, a crime such as this one could be charged as criminal assault. Although known as "battery" in many other states, New York has a unique nomenclature for its crimes.
This incident is a classic example of New York's criminal assault statute, particularly in reference to the intent to permanently disfigure another. Under New York's Penal Code, a person can be guilty of first degree criminal assault if she causes an injury which seriously disfigures another person; assuming the person carried the attack out with the intent to disfigure.
Intent is an important element in criminal law. It can usually make the difference between various charges. Sometimes, a New York criminal defense attorney can have a defendant acquitted simply by showing a lack of intent.
Although recent reports do not indicate that the attacker was found, it remains clear that her identity is no secret to the victims. Furthermore, the trail of taunting and the history of altercation between the parties may make it very difficult for a good New York criminal defense attorney to negate any intent in the case of first degree assault.
In Lewis' case, her attacker has not yet been charged. It will be interesting over the weeks to see how this case unfolds and to see whether her 17-year old attacker is tried as an adult.
Related Resources
- Assault: New York Penal Code (FindLaw Codes)
- Teen girl, whose face was slashed in brutal Brooklyn attack ,says she was targeted for wrong reason (NY Daily News)
- Juvenile Waiver (FindLaw)
- New York Criminal Defense Attorney Directory (FindLaw)
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