What constitutes simple assault under Mississippi law?

Under Mississippi law, simple assault is defined as the attempt or actual infliction of bodily injury upon another person. This encompasses both the act of trying to harm someone and successfully causing some level of injury, however minor. The focus here is on the tangible aspect of causing harm, which aligns with the legal understanding of assault as it relates directly to physical confrontation or injury.

Attempting bodily injury signifies that even the intention to inflict harm is enough to meet the criteria for simple assault, regardless of whether any injury actually occurs. This is crucial in law, as it helps establish accountability for acts of aggression.

The other options do not align with the legal definition of simple assault. Emotional distress, while potentially actionable in other legal concepts, does not fall under the scope of simple assault. Threatening bodily harm without any further action may relate more to menacing or verbal threats rather than the physical actions defined as assault. Lastly, property damage is not relevant to the definition of simple assault, which is primarily concerned with personal injury rather than damage to belongings.