Missouri Laws 569.050 – Arson in the second degree — penalty
1. A person commits the offense of arson in the second degree if he or she knowingly damages a building or inhabitable structure by starting a fire or causing an explosion.
2. A person does not commit an offense under this section if:
Attorney's Note
Under the Missouri Laws, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Class B felony | between 5 and 15 years | |
| Class D felony | up to 7 years | up to $10,000 |
Terms Used In Missouri Laws 569.050
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
- person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations. See Missouri Laws 1.020
(1) No person other than himself or herself has a possessory, proprietary or security interest in the damaged building, or if other persons have those interests, all of them consented to his or her conduct; and
(2) The person’s sole purpose was to destroy or damage the building for a lawful and proper purpose.
3. The defendant shall have the burden of injecting the issue under subsection 2 of this section.
4. The offense of arson in the second degree is a class D felony unless a person has suffered serious physical injury or has died as a result of the fire or explosion, in which case it is a class B felony.