Man writes anti-gay message on restaurant bill, forces it down female manager's shirt

[Behind the Aegis]

A Florida man was arrested and charged with simple battery after writing an anti-gay remark on a restaurant bill, then forcing the receipt down a female manager’s shirt.

On July 27th, Frederic Sterry Smith, 62, and a female companion were finishing their meals at Milagro On 12 Latin Kitchen in St. Augustine, where the incident occurred.

When presented with the bill, Smith allegedly did not leave a tip and instead wrote, "If he wasn't gay." The waiter showed his manager the receipt, and she walked outside of the restaurant to confront Smith, Naples Daily News reports.

Smith admitted to writing the note, grabbed the receipt from her hand, ripped it up, and pulled open her collar to shove the check down her shirt. He also reportedly touched her breast while doing so.

According to the Naples Daily News, a coworker said that Smith told the manager that he would "[expletive] rip it up in her face" before forcing the check down her blouse.

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[Laffy Kat]

1. Why no charge of assault?

Hell, why not charge with a hate crime on top of assault and battery? Seems like he got off lightly.

[onenote]

3. Battery is a more serious charge than assault.

and since the victim of his battery was not gay, I'm not sure how they could make a hate crime charge stick.

[Laffy Kat]

4. Oh, ok. Thanks for the correction. eom

[Ms. Toad]

9. The specific crimes vary by state (since the state defines the crimes within the state).

In Ohio, as an example, the crime of battery does not exist - only assault.

But - as someone pointed out above, in the ordinary criminal scheme, battery is more serious than assault. Assault can also merge with battery (meaning you can only be charged with one). Battery (actually making the contact) is considered to be the completion of assault (the threat to make contact).

[Opel_Justwax]

5. The manager should not have confronted the customer

She is lucky he didn't have a gun. When dealing with a person that shows hate it is best not to confront them at all. You never know what they are capable of.

[Beringia]

6. True

[FoxNewsSucks]

8. True, but

if these assholes are never confronted at all, what will ever stop them?

[Opel_Justwax]

10. You have to think of employee and customer safety first.

I worked as a security guard thirty years ago and I learned when to confront and to let them walk away.
If they are disrupting the place of business then gently ease them out the door. If they yelled F you while walking out the door let then let them continue on to their car.
You are always thinking of safety first.

[BlueStater]

7. Fuck this redneck throwback piece of shit.

Makes me ashamed to be a Floridian. What a disgrace.

[tblue37]

11. And he is a pastor. nt

[not_the_one]

12. mystery of source of hate solved

whoda thunk?