DISTRICT of COLUMBIA
Title 22, Section 504. ASSAULT OR THREATENED ASSAULT IN A MENACING MANNER; STALKING. 1901. Amended 1997. "Whoever unlawfully assaults, or threatens another in a menacing manner, shall be fined not more than $1,000 or be imprisoned not more than 180 days, or both."
"Any person who on more than one occasion engages in conduct with the intent to cause emotional distress to another person or places another person in reasonable fear of death or bodily injury by willfully, maliciously, and repeatedly following or harassing that person, or who, without a legal purpose, willfully, maliciously, and repeatedly follows or harasses another person, is guilty of the crime of stalking and shall be fined mot more than $500 or be imprisoned for not more than 12 months, or both. Constitutionally protected activity, such as conduct by a party to a labor dispute in furtherance of labor or management objectives in that dispute, is not included within the meaning of this definition."
A person who commits stalking in violation of a protective or other court order shall be required to give bond, for a period of up to 1 year, to ensure compliance with this section.
A second conviction for stalking within 2 years, or within 2 years of a conviction for a similar offense, shall result in a fine and prison term of up to 1 1/2 times the maximum fine and term allowed. If the offense is a third or subsequent conviction, the person is subject to a fine and term of up to 3 times the maximum.As used in this section, "the term 'harassing' means engaging in a course of conduct either in person, by telephone, or in writing, directed at a specific person, which seriously alarms, annoys, frightens, or torments the person, or engaging in a course of conduct either in person, by telephone, or in writing, which would cause a reasonable person to be seriously alarmed, annoyed, frightened, or tormented."
