How is that not really contact when she clearly touches him first? Her reasoning for doing so doesn't really matter.
Printable View
Not getting into the politics of this, but it would make a great Torts exam question. Assault, (or battery when physical contact occurs) can extend to objects like if someone smacked a coffee cup out of your hand or pulled a chair out from under you. She probably committed battery first by attempting to grab the mike and his contact appeared to be purely in self-defense, just enough to stop the initial battery. The closer question I suppose is whether his conduct reached the level where physical force was justified, but as he was not being physically disruptive (prior to the mic being grabbed), I would wager not.
Not really her fault and she was in a bad position. She's an intern, panicked, and just started grabbing. If she yelled "Sir PLEASE HAND ME THE MICROPHONE" it would have been much more effective.
I highly doubt it's assault to attempt to grab property that belongs to you and I'm almost positive that microphone belongs to the White House and not Jim Acosta or CNN.
It could be considered assault if you push someone out of the way if they are blocking you from leaving a room, I highly doubt it's considered self defense to push someone away who is trying to remove property out of your hands that belongs to them.
nah sorry man. Common law, at least when it comes to the assault offenses, tends to look worst upon those who escalate when it's not necessary. Ownership of the property is not relevant at least when the property was initially passed with consent. I can't break into a dry cleaner to take back my own coat that I took to them for cleaning, for example.
Your door example is different because it's an unlawful detention type offense, and it's probably self defense to push your way out of it.