Thread: go to prison for insulting someone?

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Here in the U.S if you make a speech in which you threaten someone with physical harm that legally is considered an assault. Its a simple assault and a misdemeanor so most of the time its ignored but if you press the issue charges could be brought. Most though, avoid making specific threats and imply the threats so then no crime has been committed.

not necessarilly. An assault is when you incite in a person a "reasonable expectation of bodily harm." just making a threatening statement to them is not an assault. I threatened the nutjobs of the dog rescue with extensive civil litigation, such that they would run the risk of bankruptcy, and that was not an assault, but it was a threat. Also, the threat has to be a "reasonable" expectation of bodily harm. If my threat is not reasonable, then it is not an assault.

Insulting someone is not assaulting someone.

Matt