Current through Chapter 381 of the 2024 Legislative Session
Section 631:4 - Criminal ThreateningI. A person is guilty of criminal threatening when: (a) By physical conduct, the person purposely places or attempts to place another in fear of imminent bodily injury or physical contact; or(b) The person places any object or graffiti on the property of another with a purpose to coerce or terrorize any person; or (c) The person threatens to commit any crime against the property of another with a purpose to coerce or terrorize any person; or(d) The person threatens to commit any crime against the person of another with a purpose to terrorize any person; or(e) The person threatens to commit any crime of violence, or threatens the delivery or use of a biological or chemical substance, with a purpose to cause evacuation of a building, place of assembly, facility of public transportation or otherwise to cause serious public inconvenience, or in reckless disregard of causing such fear, terror or inconvenience; or(f) The person delivers, threatens to deliver, or causes the delivery of any substance the actor knows could be perceived as a biological or chemical substance, to another person with the purpose of causing fear or terror, or in reckless disregard of causing such fear or terror.II.(a) Criminal threatening is a class B felony if the person: (1) Violates the provisions of subparagraph I(e); or(2) Uses a deadly weapon as defined in RSA 625:11, V in the violation of the provisions of subparagraph I(a), I(b), I(c), or I(d).(b) All other criminal threatening is a misdemeanor.III.(a) As used in this section, "property" has the same meaning as in RSA 637:2, I; "property of another" has the same meaning as in RSA 637:2, IV.(b) As used in this section, "terrorize" means to cause alarm, fright, or dread; the state of mind induced by the apprehension of hurt from some hostile or threatening event or manifestation.IV. A person who responds to a threat which would be considered by a reasonable person as likely to cause serious bodily injury or death to the person or to another by displaying a firearm or other means of self-defense with the intent to warn away the person making the threat shall not have committed a criminal act under this section.