Swim Star Jenny Thompson Attacked, Fights Back
On water on or land Olympic swimming champ Jenny Thompson has proven just how tough she really is, fighting off two men who tried to steal her motor scooter.
The eight-time Olympic gold medalist swimmer Jenny Thompson was attacked outside the Boston area when a vehicle stopped behind her with its headlights out and two guys got out and punched her, the Associated Press reports.
In an interview with the media Thompson said the would-be robbers punched her in the face and her gut instinct was to fight back. She began screaming and witnesses then called the police.
The assailants fled on foot. The 37-year-old suffered a cut on her nose and several scrapes and was treated at the scene.
In general, theft/larceny is typically defined as the taking of almost anything of value without the consent of the owner, with the intent to permanently deprive him or her of the value of the property taken.
Most states recognize degrees of theft, such as "grand" or "petty," which usually relate to the value of the property taken.
Typically, robbery is the taking of money or goods in the possession of another, from his or her person or immediate presence, by force or intimidation.
Robbery is a crime of theft and can be classified as larceny by force or by threat of force. The elements of the crime of robbery include the use of force or intimidation and all the elements of the crime of larceny. The penalty for robbery is always more severe than for larceny.
Related Resources:
- Olympic swimming champ Jenny Thompson fights off attackers (USA Today)
- Robbery (FindLaw's LawBrain)
- Theft/Larceny (FindLaw's LawBrain)