Q: Can I take legal action for battery and trauma caused by store employee?
In New Jersey, while checking out at a grocery store, a store employee grabbed me by the wrist, accusing me of stealing an item worth $4.49, even though I had already rung up over $269 worth of groceries and had more to ring up. The employee grabbed my wrist, forcibly attempting to take me to his office without allowing me to retrieve my phone or wallet. He took pictures of me and my 5-year-old autistic son, and threatened my son by saying, "I hope you have somewhere to go because mommy is going away." My son's father recently passed away, and this severely traumatized him. The police responded but did not press charges, acknowledging that I hadn't committed any crime as I was still at the checkout. I want to know if this situation constitutes battery, if the threats and photographs of my autistic 5-year-old are legally actionable, and what legal actions I can pursue regarding the emotional distress and trauma inflicted on my son and me.
A:
We need more information. Was this in New Jersey? If it was, it sounds as if you may have an actionable case against the store. However, more details would be helpful. For example, are there videos from the store or from the police's body worn camera? Are there other witnesses?
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