Originally posted by Mr. BoffoOther reports are that it might be verbal assault, which is a crime in the UK.
Verbal assault? Telling your family off is a crime?
(edited by Lise on 22.7.08 1610)
I'm pretty sure that, if what you say makes the person in sufficient fear for their life, it can be charged as assault in certain states. Battery is usually the actual physical crime, assault is the attempt or intent if I understand it correctly. So even if he had just put his hand on his mom's shoulder during the argument, she could conceivably say it was assault.
But yes, England has class 4 and class 5 verbal assault.
Originally posted by Mr. BoffoOther reports are that it might be verbal assault, which is a crime in the UK.
That's news to me.
You can be charged for making threatening statements, but they have to be PRETTY threatening, and also made in public. I think there may be a case for a charge of breaching the peace.
If he put his hand on her shoulder, technically, yes, he has "assaulted" her, but that would get laughed out of any court in the land, if it went that far.
You can be charged for making threatening statements, but they have to be PRETTY threatening, and also made in public. I think there may be a case for a charge of breaching the peace.
If he put his hand on her shoulder, technically, yes, he has "assaulted" her, but that would get laughed out of any court in the land, if it went that far.
Not to pick the legal nit, but unless there's been a change to the law in recent years you can be charged with "assault" if your words are considered sufficient to make someone fearful for their immediate safety, or of imminent personal violence. It matters not if this happens in public, except in so far as it would be pretty tricky to prove in the absence of witnesses. If you think about it, it would be a pretty dumb law if it was OK to threaten someone in a deserted dark alley, but not in a busy mall. And we don't have any dumb laws. No sir. None whatsoever.
Anywho, dull legal guff aside, I really hope this isn't true. Always been a fan of Christian Bale, and it would make me feel kinda uncomfortable watching his films if it turned out he was guilty of anything serious.
Originally posted by Mr. BoffoOther reports are that it might be verbal assault, which is a crime in the UK.
That's news to me.
You can be charged for making threatening statements, but they have to be PRETTY threatening, and also made in public. I think there may be a case for a charge of breaching the peace.
If he put his hand on her shoulder, technically, yes, he has "assaulted" her, but that would get laughed out of any court in the land, if it went that far.
(edited by Spank E on 23.7.08 0824)
(edited by Spank E on 23.7.08 0825)
Oh totally true, but the police would still have to at least investigate it. A couple of the news reports I read said that they arrest you when you go in for questioning in England; they just don't release your name until you're actually charged with something. So basically he just went to make a statement and the press blew it out of proportion. I don't think theres any intent to actually prosecute him.
I always thought "verbal assault" was called something else I guess. There has to be a credible threat that makes someone feel imminently fearful for their safety though.
I believe we talking about someone cussing out family members. If that's illegal, wouldn't every teenager be in jail?
Originally posted by LiseI always thought "verbal assault" was called something else I guess. There has to be a credible threat that makes someone feel imminently fearful for their safety though.
I believe we talking about someone cussing out family members. If that's illegal, wouldn't every teenager be in jail?
The parent would have to be vindictive enough to spin it into wayyyyyyyyyy more than what the average chid/parent spat is. Plus we're talking about a grown man, that's probably taken more seriously even if it it's clearly a bogus claim. And since a celebrity is involved, that means media scrutiny as well. I know it's silly, but you can't fault them for looking into it. I'd bet 99% of people wouldn't even think about going to the cops over a shouting match.
Not having CTU is really not going to much of a departure from usual if they are just going to have another department (FBI) that functions just like CTU, which the trailer kind of made it look like there would be (even includes Chloe).