Peanut Butter Assault: Did Ex-Wife Smear Letter to Harm New Wife?
Have you ever been a victim of a peanut butter assault?
Didn't think so.
But a woman in Battle Creek, Michigan claims she was, and wants prosecutors to bring charges against her husband's ex-wife, who she claims tried to harm her with peanut butter, a known allergen.
The ex-wife apparently just wanted to keep the new one out of her business.
Deathly allergic to peanuts, New Wife claims that she found a letter in her mailbox addressed to her husband, reports CBS. It was stained with oil and had a message written on the envelope that stated the contents contained peanut butter.
Ex-Wife told the Battle Creek Enquirer that her intent was to keep New Wife from reading a bill that did not involve her.
No peanut butter assault was intended.
Which, incidentally, is why prosecutors have been slow to bring charges.
Generally speaking, assault requires that the perpetrator act intentionally or recklessly to put another person in fear of imminent bodily harm.
This would mean that Ex-Wife would have had to have slathered her letter in peanut butter for the purpose of harming New Wife, or did so with disregard to the consequences, taking into consideration that she was known to be allergic.
Given the fact that Ex-Wife wrote a note on the envelope advising of its peanut-laden contents, it would be difficult to demonstrate that she acted intentionally or recklessly.
Unfortunately for the victim of the alleged peanut butter assault, these facts don't bode very well for her wish of a criminal prosecution.
Related Resources:
- Divorce News: Woman Sends Peanut Butter-Filled Letter To Ex's Allergic Wife (Huffington Post)
- Assault and Battery (FindLaw)
- Man with Dead Weasel Bursts into Home, Assaults Man (FindLaw's Legally Weird)
