Man arrested for filming himself jumping over cops

[fr33]

He touched him. That's the difference. It's a big difference.

 

[Tod]

He touched him. That's the difference. It's a big difference.

Nah. He could have stood in front of him and pretended he was going to sucker punch him in the gut, stopping his fist just short....close enough for the silver guy to fear for his safety and it would have been just as serious, if not moreso, given the nature of the threat.

It is important to understand the definition of assault. The man in the video was both committing assault AND battery against the silver man because he actually did touch him. However, if he dude had done as I described above, THAT too would have been assault, but not battery.

http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/assault

An assault is carried out by a threat of bodily harm coupled with an apparent, present ability to cause the harm. It is both a crime and a tort and, therefore, may result in either criminal or civil liability. Generally, the common law definition is the same in criminal and Tort Law. There is, however, an additional Criminal Law category of assault consisting of an attempted but unsuccessful Battery.

 

[fr33]

Nah. He could have stood in front of him and pretended he was going to sucker punch him in the gut, stopping his fist just short....close enough for the silver guy to fear for his safety and it would have been just as serious, if not moreso, given the nature of the threat.

It is important to understand the definition of assault. The man in the video was both committing assault AND battery against the silver man because he actually did touch him. However, if he dude had done as I described above, THAT too would have been assault, but not battery.

http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/assault

How about we just compare what happened in the 2 scenarios?

In one, the perceived threat was already over by the time the potential victims recognized it's existence.

In the other, the actual victim reacted to an established threat and act of violence.

In one scenario there was a use of force against another. In the other there was not.

 

[Flugel89]

If the cop had instead reflexively smacked that guy "up side the head" mid jump and the jumper sued the cop and I were a juror,

I would declare that the smack was justifiable self defense and that the jumper should pay the cop's attorney fees.


If that dude did that to me, I'd be tempted to deck him myself, but, being a level-headed guy would refrain from giving him his just deserts.

I would view that hypothetical as more reasonable than what the cops did in this case. Reacting to a perceived threat or sudden extreme incursion on your personal space can be self defense. chasing the down the guy who didn't touch you is different.

 

[heavenlyboy34]

Is it possible to organize citizen "peace officers"? That is, regular folks who police the police-recording and/or intervening in instances of police assault of innocents.

 

[fr33]

Is it possible to organize citizen "peace officers"? That is, regular folks who police the police-recording and/or intervening in instances of police assault of innocents.

It sounds like you are describing the Ridley Report, Cop Block, and Peaceful Streets.

 

[heavenlyboy34]

It sounds like you are describing the Ridley Report, Cop Block, and Peaceful Streets.

Not familiar with Peaceful streets, but Ridley and Cop Block just do video documentaries, AFAIK. I've never seen them step in on behalf of a victim of cop assault.