DANIEL R. CARPENTER, JR., Defendant- Missouri Cases

Daniel R. Carpenter, Jr. appealed his conviction for second-degree assault, arguing there was insufficient evidence to prove the victim suffered a "serious physical injury" in the form of a "protracted impairment." The assault stemmed from an intentional head-on collision with the victim's vehicle, which caused whiplash and an L1 lumbar compression fracture. The Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District, affirmed the conviction, finding sufficient evidence that the victim's daily back pain, use of a back brace for six to eight weeks, and difficulty getting out of bed constituted a protracted impairment of function.