a customer grabs an employee's hands no weapon no injury no visible crime in the moment so why was this enough for an arrest under Georgia law simple battery does not require an injury only intentional contact that is insulting provoking or harmful 7:50 base on 10.3 yes he's right here now alright is everything okay what's going on I was I clocked in at 4:30 I work here okay so I was at the counter and normally the customers who don't leave their keys out here because they say they can't see the sign okay it says leave keys in there so he said do you work for Avis I said yes he's getting his keys out his pocket so I said well I take your keys because there's signs outside that say to leave your keys in the car so he handed me he handed me his car key that's how I have them I didn't take them from him okay he handed them to me he was getting he said well let me get a picture because I don't know who you are I said sir please don't take a picture of me I said you'll receive this email to you I'm going outside to check the cars in so I walked off he said excuse me excuse me no you don't go nowhere with my keys I said sir I work here he said well then we'll go outside together I said there's no need for that I said I'm going outside to check your car I said I work here so he said well you're not giving me no name so I tried to walk around the carousel and he was following me so then after trying to get past him he put his hands on me he must so that's when everybody was down there and they seen him put his hands on me and one of the workers said well airport police is right here just talk to somebody and the man wouldn't listen so I don't know where he disappeared to I don't know where he's at but he said he was coming out here to follow me to make sure I check his car you look at that I put the key in that box thank you he was work they was older but the one with the blue sweater he had a blue sweater on and he was an older gentleman that's not him down there with the backpack is it no I don't think so I never seen him come out OK they didn't they ain't follow you out no but he said he was and I'm pretty sure he's still in there alright I'll wait till the other officer gets here and I'll go check inside do you want what would you like to just make sure he's gone or that's it was two of them but I don't remember what the other one look like it was just the one the aggressor that I spoke to OK and what what he was a white male older yes both of them were white OK um um but the the bus driver said that she's gonna look on the camera to see if she can see him OK where's the car just make sure that he's down there at all the car is here cause I this is my car right here so we pulled up around the same time but I had one in first yeah let's walk down to make sure he's not in there so 10 four she don't want to do anything right now see this is literally all I do and I was trying to tell him that don't I understand that man I know what you guys do in the morning but you don't want to do a report or anything like that I do are you are you are you OK I'm fine I just don't I don't want to do that oh I'll tell him not to come back and visit you at all that's no problem if I find him out I'll give him a conversation but he didn't like harm me anyway just no he just like like he mushed me like like did like push you on you like this like he move my hands out the way like this and okay so you never actually touch it he did touch me like that no like you like like that okay like I won't go nowhere he won't let me pass him like at all okay like I was being held hostage or something I didn't do anything if you need anything I'll come I'll be back thank you he's back he's right here stay with me sir did you did you touch her yes or no did you touch her I I I listen let me explain the situation I'm not trying to be difficult I don't know this lady and she comes and she takes my car keys and I'm saying did she have any she has a jacket on it says but yeah but I just told her I'm just asking can I take a picture of you if she's not comfortable with my car yeah but she's got my key please well you if you wanted to walk back to the car with her I just saw I'm trying to see that but you can see right here I just want to listen I think if I can just get a picture of her with my card that's done she works here I know she works here okay if you can it's not about that so it's okay but you're not supposed to touch anybody you know that's no I I just I just told her can you walk out with my keys I'm just worried I'm good but if you can vouch for her sir if you can vouch for her no one's gonna be coming in here like that and that's what she is because she I know but you understand some some stranger comes I'm I'm I'm good if you about you know her it's not about you but I know her you did there's not many people gonna come in through this way to come get steal a car there's cameras around here even if you turn the car in you're still not gonna be liable for anything because you turned it in thinking it was representative hold on one second one second do you have a driver's license on you go for 7:50 I was just trying I understand so you're you're but you sometimes if they're wearing the shirt you might want but I don't know I asked her for identification it's how much it's if she I'm good if you are good keep out for you I'm good and I'm that's okay I'm just trying to be peaceful yes sir where where are you she doesn't want to deal with you what is it alright just uh stand right over there and I'll I'll be with you I gotta talk to my sergeant real quick just stand right there sir basically it was a gentleman who didn't he wasn't sure if she actually worked here even though she had the budget shirt on and he wanted to take a picture of her to say that he turned in the car and she goes I work here she handed him she handed him her the keys according to her she handed him she he handed her the keys and he wanted to take a picture that actually that she had the car that she works here and then she wouldn't let him pass and just like pushed him off this is what she said and like smudged them punch uh touched her she won't do anything she just wants him gone he's right here with me he was just he came down to take a picture I'm talking to him right now I advise him he needs to go I'll advise him that he needs to go alright alright sir just are you look flying out yeah alright just go ahead and leave no I'm sorry it was just weird well can I ask I'm sorry I will just say no more I apologize because you are made her feeling really uncomfortable and she's just trying to do her job yeah I'm sorry you know what I mean if you really if you really just stand by the car until you see a representative come up because alright sir go ahead and go I'm here he's gone I tell him he can't come back here no I would have pressed charges on him you hold on a second sir stand by step out here right now you might have to help me deal with this now she wants to press charges she's an employee here step back over here sir just just come outside here you'll see me I'm standing right outside I'm my sergeant I had this is going beyond more than what I need I need to get my sergeant out here just stand by with me right now okay situation happened alright so we have to I have to take care of this and she wants to write and do a complaint I press charges cause you touched her I didn't oh my gosh you know what I'm asking her I asked her can you just give me my keys back and I'll walk out with you cause I don't know if she wouldn't give them back well if she wouldn't and I said she says I want to call the police I said can you please call the police just call that I would just wait right there I would stop but she's running off with my keys you've got to understand she wouldn't show me an identification how long would you be I don't want to mess up my flight go for 7:50 I asked her just give me my keys I'll walk out with you she wouldn't do that she wouldn't let me take a picture of her with my keys she wouldn't she was just and she's running off oh gosh I'm not a violent person I'm just trying to so I don't know what what happens next well sir I guess when he goes out here I'm gonna talk to her and we'll go from there well how long he's coming right now can we walk that way I'm I'm just really nervous I can't pee now too well just stand by here is this her no that's my that's my sergeant yeah now did you actually touch her like SWAT her hand away no I just she's trying to run off and I just I kind of like blocked her egress and she's trying to run and just you know I won't touch you but I didn't like assault her or anything did they send you the video did they send you the video no they just didn't send it to you I have not received it yet I did so okay here it is sir sir stand back over there come to the retreat alright come with me to the retreat you can use keep my phone and I'll well if she really wants to press charges oh seriously so what does that mean how long is this going to last sir you can be arrested for this that's assault oh my gosh understand where I'm coming from so what happens how do we want to do this well right now I'm I think he's gonna talk to her I'm gonna we'll go back out there and see what he wants cause this is gone further up the food chain oh my gosh do me a favor yeah hold him right down here down there and I'll be right back hey what what happened he's gonna come back just come with me right over here I don't know why she would just show me identification I don't get it I there's several different ways you can handle this just got well that that she did she tell you that your receipt will be in the your email she's told me I should have left the keys in the car yeah that means I should have given my key so all I'm saying is let me just I'll give you my keys I'll walk out with you I just wanted to make sure that I don't know who this lady is she wouldn't show me identification she has a jacket but I mean someone could pick up a jacket from behind the counter she's some strange she steals my car I got nothing well I didn't I wasn't aggressive with her I mean I know that I I held up and said you know please don't walk off call the police call please I'm begging you call the police well I I don't know I'm here I'm not trying to be argumentative if I just don't know how to oh my God yes sir I might have to go back out there and find out I can leave him right here yeah let me go find her she was outside when when I was trying to get you to come out when he came up no no no I just before okay let the let okay I'll put him in handcuffs can we go talk to her again and I'm not trying to do anything or can you come can you come okay I need to alright then I need you to come down here I need to get his information I I need I need another officer down here now cause I need to get get his stuff yeah yeah I can get I can do all that I just need to get his his driver's license information cause all his other stuff is upstairs yeah it is upstairs with his friend alright alright come with me sir what what's happening I'm gonna arrest you oh seriously so what happened now you're gonna have to be you'll be uh transported down to Chatham County Detention Center oh come on seriously can we talk to this lady can we appeal to her oh my gosh like I said you don't put hands on people even if you're not sure just let let him call the police if she says she's calling the police so I go to lock up yes sir I'm trying to be nice about it well no I'm not I got no issue with you I get that you have no you're not the one making the calls here but can I talk to the sergeant I mean I just who makes the call that's the sergeant right now and it's basically that's why I was trying to get this stuff to here i'mma put you in handcuffs and i'mma put you in the back of my car oh come on oh my God so then how long am I in lock up and until you can make bail can I get some get your handcuffs man put him in handcuffs I have OK I got my handcuffs just can I just please can I talk to you no sir you cannot you have to talk to the officer in the car there I don't need to hear nothing you got to say oh my God put you in the back of this car okay just if you got to turn around a little bit um wait a minute wait a minute wait a minute sir get in the car right now wait wait I have my I'm thinking of my buddy OK he needs my car keys OK sir where's your car keys at um okay my bag okay good I can get that you need to get in the car you need to get in the car first I'll get I'll get everything alright watch your head try and it hold just hold on take your time oh gosh I can't I'm trying this really hurts my buddy is finding we'll get you the key we'll get him his keys now I just need you to get in the back of the car no I haven't got any of that I was hold a second before you run off alright where's this keys oh first of all it was fine and he came right back out and that's when she said she wanted to press charges no no no no no no I didn't that's why I called you back out yeah I gotta I gotta also get I gotta remember I gotta do that bag thing now too with Terry so he can get his bags back I'm getting him for assault simple better simple better OK your cell phone is up front with me I have it right there in my in the front seat OK hey can I talk to my friend to explain he's an older guy I had to I had to have him sign that stuff that's why I wanted you to just wait a few minutes so we can get that or have somebody else down here with me so I can get this stuff processed that's all I was trying to get done why she just why is she leaving she's working I don't know I'm just I'm just saying I'm I'm you can get the process but I need to run out and get her stuff first before she leave get it quick and then come back in so we can get this done just go ahead you go get your go ahead and get those keys off you I'll get code section 16 5 23 reaches contact as small as grabbing or pushing someone's hands away assault requires only a threat of violence battery requires the contact itself that distinction decided which charge applied here an arrest cannot rest on a description alone it requires either an officer witnessing the act or a clear sworn account from the victim in Atwater versus city of Lagovista the Supreme Court held the Fourth Amendment does not bar a warrantless arrest for a minor offense once probable cause exists probable cause does not require certainty it requires a victim's account and conduct the subject does not fully deny Lesson 1 a civilian has no legal authority to physically block or detain someone to verify their identity even with a good faith concern lesson 2 once a victim chooses to press charges the case shifts from discretion to formal investigation there is no walking it back lesson 3 charging accuracy matters calling contact assault instead of battery can mean pursuing the wrong legal standard entirely Lesson 4 the right response to a proper dispute is a supervisor or phone call not a hand on another person so the real question is not whether the contact happened it is whether either side understood in that moment where the legal line actually was