Chargers Shawne Merriman arrested for assault and false imprisonment
Chargers Linebacker Shawne Merriman was arrested over Labor Day weekend for alleged assault and false imprisonment of Tila Tequila (real name: Tila Nguyen). Tequila best known for her MTV show "A Shot at Love," claims that Merriman restrained her and refused to let her leave his home. Merriman claims that he was merely attempting to prevent an intoxicated Tequila from driving an automobile.
New Jersey Criminal Lawyer Blog's Take: First, it should be noted that Tequila has signed a citizen's complaint against Merriman, but Merriman has not been charged by local law enforcement. At this stage the police are still investigating the matter. As for the charges it can be helpful to explain basic definitions. Assault means unwanted physical touching, it can be anything from striking a person with a closed fist to grabbing someone's arm to restrain them. Furthermore, there does not have to be any injury for an assault to take place. Many people get confused that assault has a higher threshold such as kicks and punches that leave bruises, but that is not the case.
False imprisonment sounds harsh as well. If one locked someone in the basement for days, most people would agree that is a clear example of false imprisonment. In this matter, it is alleged that Merriman refused to let Tequila leave his residence. That is actually enough to sign a complaint for false imprisionment. All one has to do is prevent someone from leaving. It can be as simple as pushing a door closed as the person attempts to leave the room.
Here, Merriman was arrested because once law enforcment arrived on the scene he was going to be taken into custody while they sorted out the case. Merriman promptly called his attorney and he was released while the matter is under investigation. Eventually, someone in the Sherrif's Department will make a decision on whether to formally charge Merriman. If they decline to charge the San Diego sackmaster, Ms. Tequila will be left with only potential civil remedies against Merriman.
