Threatening an umpire....

[dsimp8]

What is the punishment for verbally threatening an umpire. I was told tonight after I ejected a player that"we would settle this in the parking lot and you know what I mean".I'm in Alabama if it helps.

[ASA/NYSSOBLUE]

Originally posted by dsimp8
What is the punishment for verbally threatening an umpire. I was told tonight after I ejected a player that"we would settle this in the parking lot and you know what I mean".I'm in Alabama if it helps.

Call the cops-he physically threatened you....

[Skahtboi]

If you do as you should, which is in fact call the police, as this is most certainly illegal, then the punishment for the first offense is usually a fine, as it is, in most localities, a misdemeanor. Some leagues have a suspension for this offense in place as well, so be sure that they know of the threat.

[dsimp8]

I called the police and I had to go in and file a complaint. They said they weren't gonna arrest him or anything but it was good to come in and "get it documented". I was less than thrilled but I didn't want to make a scene about it.

[Steve M]

I'm showing some ignorance here - but - this isn't the first time I've been ignorant or showed it - and chances are good that is won't be the last, either.

Since there was no arrest - and things were only documented - does that mean that Alabama is one of the states that does not have a specific law against threatening an official - what about any citizen?

[bkbjones]

A review of Alabama law would show that if you filed a formal complaint, then Bubba down at the PD better get off his butt and go slap the cuffs on someone.

This is lengthy, but this is the law in Alabama:

Section 1. For purposes of this act, a "sports official", is a person at a sports event who enforces the rules of the event, such as an umpire or referee, or a person who supervises the participants, such as a coach. A "sports event" includes any interscholastic or intramural athletic activity in a primary, middle, junior high, or high school, college, or university, any organized athletic activity sponsored by a community, business, or nonprofit organization, any athletic activity that is a professional or semiprofessional event, and any other organized athletic activity in the state.

Section 2. (a) A person commits the crime of harassment of a sports official if he or she commits the crime of harassment as provided for by Section 13A-11-8, Code of Alabama 1975, and the victim is a sports official performing official duties and the harassment is a result of the official performing his or her official duties. Harassment of a sports official is a Class B misdemeanor. (b) A person commits the crime of menacing a sports official if he or she commits the crime of menacing as provided for by Section 13A-6-23, Code of Alabama 1975, and the victim is a sports official performing official duties and the menacing is a result of the official performing his or her official duties. Menacing a sports official is a Class A misdemeanor. (c) A person commits the crime of assault of a sports official in the third degree if he or she commits the crime of assault in the third degree as provided for by Section 13A-6-22, Code of Alabama 1975, and the victim is a sports official performing official duties and the assault is a result of the official performing his or her official duties. Assault of a sports official in the third degree is a Class C felony. (d) A person commits the crime of assault of a sports official in the second degree if he or she commits the crime of assault in the second degree as provided for by Section 13A-6-21, Code of Alabama 1975, and the victim is a sports official performing official duties and the assault is a result of the official performing his or her official duties. Assault of a sports official in the second degree is a Class B felony. (e) A person commits the crime of assault of a sports official in the first degree if he or she commits the crime of assault in the first degree as provided for by Section 13A-6-20, Code of Alabama 1975, and the victim is a sports official performing official duties and the assault is a result of the official performing his or her official duties. Assault of a sports official in the first degree is a Class A felony.

[dsimp8]

That's what I thought but the officer at the desk said something about it being an "indirect" threat. I told him that I did not consider "we're gonna settel this in the parking lot" and indirect threat. I may print this out and take it doen to the station and see what I might be able to get done.

[dsimp8]

I just got off the phone with an investigator and he told me to bring a copy of the report to the warrant clerk and they would determine if he needs to be picked up.

[streamdoc]

Be sure to keep us posted on what develops. While I feel sad that this guys life could possibly be ruined over this, I know that he deserves whatever he gets. Please don't think that I'm against you persuing this, that is not what I'm saying. It's just hard for me not to be sad when I think of how this guy's actions are going to lead to trouble with johnny law (or, I guess bubba law in this case). As I'm reading the most current developments, and looking forward to hearing how it turns out, I have the distinct feeling that I am watching a train wreck.

[ChrisSportsFan]

If the guy makes a threat this time, and the next and maybe the next, sooner or later he'll get tired of threatening and really do something. He knows his buddies keep watching him make idle threats and he's going to have to back it up.

[dsimp8]

Okay,we have the mandatory meeting on ejections Monday night. What I'm gonna do is take a copy of the report to the meeting and (I haven't decided)submit it to the "record" . The standard punishment for a double ejection is a 1 yr suspension which would,in effect ban him from all games next yr since he would not be eligible to sign a roster at the beginning of fall league. That,to me is not enough. I might recommend that he be suspended from play for 3 years OR he can be arrested for harassing a sports official and still face the one yr ban. I have been told by the League supervisor that he will get more than the one yr ban.

I'm gonna let it play out.

[pob14]

I don't know anything about Alabama law specifically, and in particular I don't know what "menacing" means.

But I'm a prosecutor, and I do know what "assault" means, and this isn't it.

For assault, you have to be placed in reasonable apprehension of receiving an imminent battery. "Imminent" means "right now." And it requires an overt act beyond mere words. So if somebody says "I'm going to beat you up" while standing next to you and shaking their fist, that's assault. If they say "I'm going to beat you up next Tuesday", that isn't.

Okay, I just looked it up:
Menacing.
(a) A person commits the crime of menacing if, by physical action, he intentionally places or attempts to place another person in fear of imminent serious physical injury.

(b) Menacing is a Class B misdemeanor

So "Menacing" is what we in Illinois call "assault," and "assault" in Alabama is we would call "battery." Either way, no crime here, sorry.

Don't shoot the messenger. I don't write the laws, I just enforce them.

I do think the moron should be permanenly banned.

[SRW]

Originally posted by pob14
So if somebody says "I'm going to beat you up" while standing next to you and shaking their fist, that's assault. If they say "I'm going to beat you up next Tuesday", that isn't.

What about "I'm going to beat you up in the parking lot after the game, blue!"?