(a) A person is guilty of strangulation or suffocation in the first degree when such person commits strangulation or suffocation in the second degree as provided in § 53a-64bb and (1) in the commission of such offense, such person (A) uses or attempts to use a dangerous instrument, or (B) causes serious physical injury to such other person, or (2) such person has previously been convicted of a violation of this section or § 53a-64bb.

Attorney's Note

Under the Connecticut General Statutes, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
Class C felonyup to 10 yearsup to $10,000
For details, see Conn. Gen. Stat.53a-35a
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Terms Used In Connecticut General Statutes 53a-64aa

  • Dangerous instrument: means any instrument, article or substance which, under the circumstances in which it is used or attempted or threatened to be used, is capable of causing death or serious physical injury, and includes a "vehicle" as that term is defined in this section and includes a dog that has been commanded to attack, except a dog owned by a law enforcement agency of the state or any political subdivision thereof or of the federal government when such dog is in the performance of its duties under the direct supervision, care and control of an assigned law enforcement officer. See Connecticut General Statutes 53a-3
  • Person: means a human being, and, where appropriate, a public or private corporation, a limited liability company, an unincorporated association, a partnership, a government or a governmental instrumentality. See Connecticut General Statutes 53a-3
  • Physical injury: means impairment of physical condition or pain. See Connecticut General Statutes 53a-3

(b) No person shall be found guilty of strangulation or suffocation in the first degree and unlawful restraint or assault upon the same incident, but such person may be charged and prosecuted for all three offenses upon the same information. For the purposes of this section, “unlawful restraint” means a violation of § 53a-95 or 53a-96, and “assault” means a violation of § 53a-59, 53a-59a, 53a-59b, 53a-59c, 53a-60, 53a-60a, 53a-60b, 53a-60c, 53a-61 or 53a-61a.

(c) Strangulation or suffocation in the first degree is a class C felony.