It’s a medium-sized mobile home park, and I was walking my dog, which I do twice a day. There’s only one route I can take which doesn’t pass within line-of-sight of his house, and it’s too short to properly exercise the dog. I now avoid the route which passes directly in front of his house, but there’s nothing I can do to keep him from chasing me down the street. He even harasses me when I’m working in my own driveway. I carry the camcorder at all times now, for the sole purpose of capturing his antics and documenting them. If he injures me or anybody else, I want to make sure that there’s ample evidence of his unbalanced mind for all the world and their lawyers to see.
Getting back to the original question—does anybody know why the authorities act on some threats and ignore others?
I have no real experience with that kind of law enforcement, but I could imagine a district attorney not being particularly interested in a ‘he threatened me’/‘no I didn’t’ kind of case. Just too mushy about what happened and whether it rises to the level of a crime. On the other hand, I would think a violation of a restraining order is a much clearer line, easier to prove and more likely to be picked up by a DA.
If he’s actively contacting you by phone (not just yelling at you as you walk by on the street), then I’d get a restraining order. Document when he violates it, and at the least I think the cops would give him a talking to.
Oh, okay. I didn’t see a dog in the video, or in the shadows on the road (sun was behind you). The video gives the impression that you were just standing in the road outside his house, silently filming every move this guy makes. The cops might even think you were provoking him; someone standing in the road outside my house, filming me would certainly piss me off. Maybe before kicking this up a notch and getting the cops involved, get someone else to film one of these episides, showing you just walking your dog, minding your own busines, then he roars out and attacks you with the scooter, yelling death threats. I can’t see the cops NOT taking that seriously!
It really depends on where you live. Some have already posted the appropriate California statute. In New Jersey we have similar statutes. Threatening to kill someone would fall under Terroristic Threats. Just threatening to kick someones ass would probably only be harassment. What laws are on the books is one thing, how they have been interpreted in your state is another. If it was New Jersey then I would say this is a clear case of Terrorist Threats and if the authorities would not persue it then I would guess there was something you were leaving out. Like whatever allegations he is making about you. In New Jersey there is always the option of filing a criminal complaint yourself. If there is no probable cause besides the complainant’s accusation then it is his option to file a complaint himself. You may want to look into that. Otherwise I would either consult an attorney or ask to met with the prosecutor.
Be careful about throwing around advice about restraining orders. The laws governing that vary widely from state to state. For instance in New Jersey a restraining order can only be granted in cases of domestic violence. So unless you have dated or lived with this guy it wouldn’t apply. Don’t know what the law is in California.
It may not be illegal but it certainly is tacky. You either sue or you don’t. If I had a nickel for every time I heard someone who could not or would not sue, threaten to, I would be a really really rich guy. A legitimate demand in lieu of a lawsuit is of course the exception.
There are a lot of things that one might consider “tacky.” It has no bearing on whether the law or society will impose consequences on you for doing them.
He’s totally convinced that I’m screwing his wife. Yeah, right—I don’t even give my own wife half the servicing she needs, much less anybody else’s. :rolleyes: Besides, she’s at least 25 years older than I am, and I never even met the woman until the day I confronted her and asked if Wacko Jacko owned any guns.