In Mississippi simple assault is defined as:
(1) A person is guilty of simple assault if he (a) attempts to cause or purposely, knowingly or recklessly causes bodily injury to another; or (b) negligently causes bodily injury to another with a deadly weapon or other means likely to produce death or serious bodily harm; or (c) attempts by physical menace to put another in fear of imminent serious bodily harm; and, upon conviction, he shall be punished by a fine of not more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than six (6) months, or both.
Most commonly simple assault causes bodily injury without the use of a weapon. It usually involves minor injuries such as bruises and scrapes. Accordingly, simple assault is a misdemeanor. As such, simple assault can carry from zero to six months of jail time. However, the most likely scenario for a first time offender is to have that sentence suspended rather than actually facing jail time.