Things that made you laugh today (Political Version)

[Jeril]

Yes, how is that not him making contact?



She is trying to get the mic away from him, that's not really contact. It doesn't matter how long he touched her. I'm not familiar with DC's laws (where I'm assuming this happened) but in many places simple assault is merely unwanted touching, which this clearly is. I'm sure DC defines simple assault as such as well.

How is that not really contact when she clearly touches him first? Her reasoning for doing so doesn't really matter.

[Fortybox]

I think it is a huge stretch to call it assault. She should have just said his pas was being revoked for being disruptive, which he assuredly was.

Um clearly if she thought it was assault...it was assault.

Someone call Gloria Allred

[Tgo01]

I think it is a huge stretch to call it assault. She should have just said his pas was being revoked for being disruptive, which he assuredly was.

I don't know if she called it assault elsewhere but on Twitter she didn't call it assault, she simply said it was unacceptable for him to place his hands on her, which he did and she is right it is unacceptable.

[drauz]

I've watched this a few times. You can see him pointing and her reaching across his arm to grab the mike away at which point he brings his hand down briefly to stop her. She initiates contact with him first and he only touches her for less than a second, and with only one hand. Why you keep saying he put his hands on her is very inaccurate. How this constitutes assault in anyone's mind to me is crazy.

I mean the only way this is assault if it's like a police officer, you pat them on the shoulder and that's assaulting an officer. To any other person it's not assault.

[Gelston]

I don't know if she called it assault elsewhere but on Twitter she didn't call it assault, she simply said it was unacceptable for him to place his hands on her, which he did and she is right it is unacceptable.

Either way, I think the "placed hands on" thing is reaching. He was disruptive. Take his pass for that.

[Neveragain]

I mean the only way this is assault if it's like a police officer, you pat them on the shoulder and that's assaulting an officer. To any other person it's not assault.

Not that I think this is assault but it does raise a question.

I'm assuming this lady is a member of the presidents team, if that is the case does she deserve the same legal protection as say Sarah Huckabee or any other member of the presidents team?

[C.Difficile]

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.

[Tgo01]

She probably committed battery first by attempting to grab the mike

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.

and his contact appeared to be purely in self-defense, just enough to stop the initial battery.

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.

[Gelston]

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.

No, I think usually motherfuckers just hand over the microphone. Acosta was being a dipshit.

[C.Difficile]

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.