Legal Question in Criminal Law in Kentucky

Kentucky addresses Assault in the First Degree with the following statute:

KRS 508.010 Assault in the first degree.

(1) A person is guilty of assault in the first degree when:

(a) He intentionally causes serious physical injury to another person by means of a deadly weapon or a dangerous instrument; or

(b) Under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life he wantonly engages in conduct which creates a grave risk of death to another and thereby causes serious physical injury to another person.

(2) Assault in the first degree is a Class B felony.

As a Class B felony, this offense carries a penalty of between 10-20 years in prison. However, if the defendant has prior felonies and he or she may be charged as a "Persistent Felony Offender". In this situation the penalty range would be bumped up to 20 years to life in prison.