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Man Slaps Kid for Talking at the Movies

And you thought shushing was harsh

By William Goss 18 hours ago

The odds are unfortunately good that we all have our fair share of moviegoing horror stories to vent about (which you're welcome to do in the comments section below). You go to a movie, and a stranger takes a phone call, sends texts, repeats every other line, translates every single line, attempts to add jokes to the experience, or simply proceeds with idle chatter. Sometimes, you shush to occasional effect. Sometimes, you get a manager and the jerk clams up. Sometimes, people threaten to come to blows out in the parking lot.

And sometimes, you mistake a popcorn-throwing, motor-mouthed misfit for a grown man and hit him hard enough to knock a tooth out and leave him with a bloody nose. According to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, a 21-year-old attendee of an unknown 3D movie was fed up enough to do just that, only to not realize how young his adversary was... and that his mother was apparently sitting beside him. The man now faces felony charges.

Was the man wrong for lashing out physically? Yes. Was the mother wrong for not keeping the behavior of those children in check? In all likelihood. Could the kid have had a loose tooth already? It's possible. The point is, don't do any of it. Don't talk. Don't slap. Don't throw popcorn. You know what, just don't leave your house. It's easier that way.

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If he's going to be charged with a felony anyway, he should've slapped the mom too.
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 05-23-2012, 01:43 PM:
 
Like a lot of this internet crap, the story leaves out details. How old was the kid? What movie was showing? How long had the kid been disruptive? Had the guy made any other efforts to shut the kid up? How long had the movie been running? Did the kid get medical attention? Have charges actually been filed? Were the police called to the scene?

I doubt "felony" charges are going to stick, either. The worst that probably will happen is the guy will get sued in small claims court for five grand, for the kid's pain and suffering. Maybe the case will be on Judge Judy!
 

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Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 05-23-2012, 01:58 PM:
 
The child was ten years old and the movie was TITANIC 3-D

-Claude
 

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Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 05-23-2012, 03:24 PM:
 
It was in 3D -- I'd blame those upcharges.

If they end up on Judge Judy, a lot would depend on how the kid, the mom and the defendant behave themselves in court.
 

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Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 05-23-2012, 08:23 PM:
 
How the hell can you mistake a 10 year old for a grown man? This whole thing sounds like to me.
 

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Posted by Bill Enos (Member # 440) on 05-25-2012, 01:52 PM:
 
He was probably justified in punching the kid, should have slugged the mother too since she allowed her brat to create the situation.
 

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Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 05-28-2012, 06:18 AM:
 

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Was the man wrong for lashing out physically? Yes. Was the mother wrong for not keeping the behavior of those children in check? In all likelihood.

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