If it was a legal assault we would have been arrested, right?
They thanked us for 'getting involved.' Since the only thing we did was spray them , watch them run home and then call LE, then I guess they are thanking us for spraying them.
I think if the parents filed a complaint they would have been back at your door.
ASSAULT, crim. law. An assault is any unlawful attempt or offer with force or violence to do a corporal hurt to another, whether from malice or wantonness; for example, by striking at him or
even holding up the fist at him in a threatening or insulting manner, or with other circumstances as denote at the time. an intention, coupled with a present ability, of actual violence against his person,
as by pointing a weapon at him when he is within reach of it. 6 Rogers Rec: 9. When the injury is actually inflicted, it amounts to a battery. (q.v.)
2. Assaults are either simple or aggravated. 1.
A simple assault is one Where there is no intention to do any other injury. This is punished at common law by fine and imprisonment. 2. An aggravated assault is one that has in addition to the bare intention to commit it, another object which is also criminal; for example, if a man should fire a pistol at another and miss him, the former would be guilty of an assault with intent to murder; so an assault with intent to rob a man, or
with intent to spoil his clothes, and the like, are aggravated assaults, and they are more severely punished than simple assaults. General references, 1 East, P. C. 406; Bull. N. P. 15; Hawk. P. B. b. 1, c. 62, s. 12; 1 Russ. Cr. 604; 2 Camp. Rep.
The parents could have pressed charges for simple assault. Something to think about the next time you have a hose. Protester's that G. Anthony sprayed tried to have him arrested for turning the hose on them.
I found some other things in there, too, about pointing a gun at someone. jmo
