# Don't mess with Granddad Bill or his cane. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 4, 2018, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-mess-with-granddad-bill-or-his-cane/813580 "2018-05-04T14:41:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2018, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-mess-with-granddad-bill-or-his-cane/813580/1 "2018-05-04T14:41:55Z")
Awesome story. I love how this old guy calmly sends this criminal flying through the air. Without endangering himself or his granddaughter. Glad this ended well for everyone. Criminal goes to jail unscathed except for a bruised ego. Nice job with the video frame still captures. You can see the oh shit, look on this jerk’s face as he goes down. > **[Brave grandfather with walking stick TRIPS wanted armed suspect](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5690345/Brave-grandfather-hailed-police-tripping-disarming-man-fleeing-officers.html)** > > A hero grandfather tripped up an armed 18-year-old man in Columbus, Ohio, allowing police officers to capture him after they fell behind in a chase. Police credited 'Bill' and his cane to saving the suspect's life. > [@](#): > > An official can later be seen shaking Bill’s hand and thanking him for his bravery. > > He said: ‘We have no idea if that might have turned out differently if you hadn’t done what you did. I cannot thank you enough sir. You are an outstanding community member.’ > > The police also showed they had a sense of humor, title the video they shared with the headline, ‘Talk about fancy footwork.’ > > ‘Thank you “Bill” for sticking your leg out for us,’ the department said. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2018, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-mess-with-granddad-bill-or-his-cane/813580/2 "2018-05-04T15:27:51Z")
I was expecting him to clothesline him with the cane. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2018, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-mess-with-granddad-bill-or-his-cane/813580/3 "2018-05-04T15:31:55Z")
That would have worked too. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2018, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-mess-with-granddad-bill-or-his-cane/813580/4 "2018-05-04T16:42:10Z")
Nifty! ---
**Author:** ![X.L.Lent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/a5b964/32.png) [@X.L.Lent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/X.L.Lent)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2018, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-mess-with-granddad-bill-or-his-cane/813580/5 "2018-05-05T03:56:19Z")
I’ve always wondered about cases like this. Could “Grandad Bill” be charged with assault? If the criminal was injured could he sue “Grandad Bill” or would the court throw the case out? ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2018, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-mess-with-granddad-bill-or-his-cane/813580/6 "2018-05-06T22:08:31Z")
> [@X.L.Lent](#): > > I Could “Grandad Bill” be charged with assault? If the criminal was injured could he sue “Grandad Bill” or would the court throw the case out? I really doubt a criminal assault could be made against him. Even if (and this is a HUGE “if”) Bill technically violated the letter of the law, no prosecutor is going to try to make a case against him. It would be career suicide. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2018, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-mess-with-granddad-bill-or-his-cane/813580/7 "2018-05-06T22:15:51Z")
And it would be pretty hard to prove, even with the video. Criminal assault requires intent to harm. Grandad Bill could just say he got a cramp in his leg and had to stretch. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2018, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-mess-with-granddad-bill-or-his-cane/813580/8 "2018-05-06T22:33:30Z")
> [@X.L.Lent](#): > > I’ve always wondered about cases like this. Could “Grandad Bill” be charged > with assault? If the criminal was injured could he sue “Grandad Bill” or would > the court throw the case out? In reality, no prosecutor would ever bring a charge of assault against Grandpa Bill – any jury would laugh it out of court. And that prosecutor would pay for this next election. The criminal could sue – anybody can sue for anything. (Assuming he could get a lawyer to take the case.) The question is whether he could win. Again, eventually a Juddge or Jury would have to look at this and decide. I don’t think either would ever convict him. Might even have the Judge award ‘costs’ to him for defending against this lawsuit. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2018, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-mess-with-granddad-bill-or-his-cane/813580/9 "2018-05-06T22:57:07Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > The criminal could sue – anybody can sue for anything. (Assuming he could get a lawyer to take the case.) You appear to believe that it takes a lawyer to initiate a lawsuit. This is not true, in the US at least. Lawsuits can, and often are brought by plaintiffs alone, with no lawyer involved. Of course, lawyers are more than happy to perpetuate that belief.