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Ok, and what if the man says, "And pay me $10." Is that blackmail? What about $100? $1,000? $10,000? Or what's to stop the man from continuing to demand ad

Ok, and what if the man says, "And pay me $10." Is that blackmail? What about $100? $1,000? $10,000? Or what's to stop the man from continuing to demand additional services? Or lying and pressing charges on the kid after the fact? What if it's a 17 year old kid? 14? 10? You see that there's a line here that isn't obvious between, "I'll decline to press charges if you do me a small favor," and, "I'm going to blackmail you." That's why the law doesn't make a distinction. Assuming that the victim of an attempted burglary or attempted shoplifting is going to be magnanimous and reasonable when they've just been victimized is not at all a safe assumption.

lr4444lr 9y ago
IANAL. But no, I suspect it does not count as blackmail. The man is within his rights to press charges. But once the kid comes back to the house and does extra work, it'd be pretty obvious to the authorities that there some sort of verbal agreement to settle the matter if the old man tries to renege and press charges, even if not a written one. I also suspect that a number of people caught in the actual situation at hand with Walmart have had some lawyers among their friends and family whom they thought they might question about a blackmail angle, and the fact that Walmart has kept up his policy is likely evidence that it's been tried and failed. Shopkeeper's Privilege[0] and its related proceedings is actually a pretty interesting corner of the law. [0]https://definitions.uslegal.com/s/shopkeepers-privilege/ https://definitions.uslegal.com/s/shopkeepers-privilege/
- shkkmo 9y ago
  >IANAL. But no, I suspect it does not count as blackmail. California Superior Court Judge Harold Kahn is a lawyer and says it is extortion (at least under California law). > the fact that Walmart has kept up his policy Walmart has not maintained the policy. Joe Schrauder, the retailer’s new vice president of asset protection and safety has removed this program from all Walmart stores.

lr4444lr 9y ago

IANAL. But no, I suspect it does not count as blackmail. The man is within his rights to press charges. But once the kid comes back to the house and does extra work, it'd be pretty obvious to the authorities that there some sort of verbal agreement to settle the matter if the old man tries to renege and press charges, even if not a written one. I also suspect that a number of people caught in the actual situation at hand with Walmart have had some lawyers among their friends and family whom they thought they might question about a blackmail angle, and the fact that Walmart has kept up his policy is likely evidence that it's been tried and failed. Shopkeeper's Privilege[0] and its related proceedings is actually a pretty interesting corner of the law. [0]https://definitions.uslegal.com/s/shopkeepers-privilege/ https://definitions.uslegal.com/s/shopkeepers-privilege/

shkkmo 9y ago
>IANAL. But no, I suspect it does not count as blackmail. California Superior Court Judge Harold Kahn is a lawyer and says it is extortion (at least under California law). > the fact that Walmart has kept up his policy Walmart has not maintained the policy. Joe Schrauder, the retailer’s new vice president of asset protection and safety has removed this program from all Walmart stores.