Abuse/Assault of officials

[Jack Clark]

Ron-

Here in California, we have a special assault-on-a-sports-official statute, but, as a lawyer, I think that most people do not understand the nature of it. All is does is increase the MAXIMUM possible jail time for an assault on a sports official compared to an ordinary assault on anyone else, from 6 months to 12 months. (The possible fine remains exactly the same.)

Now, practically speaking, no first or even second offender is likely to get even the 6-month term that was already available under the ordinary assault and battery statute. My feeling is that a person would have to be a three-time assault convictee before a term beyond 6 months would even be considered.

I also believe that the Legislature knew this full well when it passed this legislation. It's the sort of legislation that passes unanimously without opposition, makes a special group of constituents (in this case, sports officials) happy, and doesn't cost any money. In other words, for state legislators, it's a no-cost, no-hassle, feel-good, vote getter.

I tell my fellow umpires not to feel any safer now than they did before this legislation was passed. (By the way, it's been in effect 8 years now, and I cannot locate any record of it ever having been used.) -Jack Clark, Idyllwild, CA