It's Just a Movie Bud!

[Midnight12]

they did get their money back too. only loss for them no movie that night. it does not justify assault.
otherwise the whole back and forth with the smoke breaks was annoying and its very tough when theaters do a midnight showing. lots of customers sc's and more

[Plaidman]

Not to mention with the constant screaming the jackass was doing, none of his friends did anything to calm him down. They just let it happened. Likely laughing and rooting him.

[Midnight12]

i think the point is that yes it was sucky to those involved and the OP. manager wrong or right on banning people. but assault happened and those friends that got banned did nothing to help or stop but where there yukking it up (I think) so didn't help. leaving it at what i gathered from the post and thats all. so not wanting this to be fratching. so yeah it sucked....for pretty much all.
(the line butters, those that got banned for not having done anything. but they got their money back)

[mharbourgirl]

Ok, so...

Dude was a rude little s*%t, got himself kicked out.

Got mad, shoved the theatre manager.

Manager kicks out guys friends before they can see the movie.

You know what's going to happen?

Dude is NOT going to be popular with his little group of buddies, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if the next time they go to a movie, they 'forget' to include him. And that's the kindest response he can expect, probably. He's not going to be a happy camper, I'd bet a bottle of Bailey's on it.

[Andara Bledin]

One thing to note about the asshat's friends, based on the OP: They didn't make any move to censure their friend after he assaulted the manager, nor did they make any move to ask if he was ok.

That'd be enough for me to give 'em the boot to go join their poor-impulse-control friend.

^-.-^

[Pagan]

He wasn't a property owner he was a movie theater manager.

No, but he is a representative of the company. Do you really mean that, since there is no single owner of Cinemark, nobody can ever be kicked out of their theaters because the "owner" isn't there? Including the genius here a while back that decided to bring his gun, dropped it and it went off, hitting some poor woman?

Even so, kicking someone out for no reason is bad business. If they hadn't of spoken up, they probably could've seen the movie. Also if the OP acknowledges that the one guy was holding their spots then it's not cutting. Even here and I'm sure many other places people hold spots for friends.

Except that they weren't there already. Punch McPunch-Punch was there first and then let them in. That's not "holding" that's "cutting". And it sure isn't allowed at any of the theaters that I've been to.

As we where waiting a guy in front of us was 'holding' a spot for about 6 friends. Annoying, yes, but not uncommon. The very annoying part is that these friends kept coming and going for smokes and such when they already arrived after us. So not only do they bud in by having spots held, they don't even stay once they get here.

[Hyndis]

I'd imagine that had the friends acted shocked and try to restrain the guy who threw the punch they would have been allowed to remain.

By not acting, or quite possibly egging him on, they were siding with the guy who threw the punch and thus should have all gotten the boot as well.

[Department stores *sigh*]

I would like to point a few things out since there seems to be some debate going on with the scenario. The friends where not egging IM on, but they did state afterwards that he was a 'loose cannon'. Personally im on the fence with the manager kicking out the friends. Once IM had left and it looked like M couldnt get any closure on the scenario I'm sure one of his only ways to vent his anger (he had just gotten assaulted) was by kicking out the friends. Also If I where in his position that would seam like a good tactic to possibly get the assaultees name.

I also agree, from being there, that M was firm, but not exactly polite in his manner. He didnt deserve what happened by any means but you can see the direction the conversation was headed.

[bainsidhe]

Whether the friends egged the asshat on is a moot point - I agree it's guilty by association. If we were only talking about asshat being a rude jerk, then I'd be upset about M throwing out the whole posse. But we're talking about M getting punched, so I'm willing to cut him some slack. Should M have interviewed each of asshat's friends to determine if they were either asshats themselves or if they were responsible patrons? Why should M potentially risk the safety of his fellow employees and patrons?

Honestly, I feel the offer of a refund was quite generous considering how pissed off M must've been. I have a lot of respect for a manager who stands for what he thinks is right. Up until the punch, M stayed civil. Even afterward and with emotions running high, he still offered a refund to the group of friends and never let the f-bombs fly. So while I think it sucks to be a friend of asshat, I'm with M all the way on this one.

EDIT: Ah, thanks for the additional info. You post faster than me

[Mr Hero]

What bothers me about the manager's decision is that he asked who KNEW IM and then kicked the people that merely knew him. There could have been a few people in the line that knew the guy but was not with him, and therefore provide a name.

[Dips]

Right or wrong the manager has every right to kick people out unless they are a protected class.

If they feel wronged they can complain to corporate. If corporate agrees they'll get to see the movie another time (bet they don't bring their "friend," though ).

[Willis]

its called guilt by association and they can be arrested for not trying to stop him.

It still the same deal. They were with him. That's guilty by assosation.

I already said it was guilt by association 3 or 4 times, probably more. You haven't told me anything new.

It sucks. But if your with a person that does a crime, you don't get out of it. Someone robs a bank when your with them? Your going to jail. Your with someone who assults someone? Going to jail.

They were lucky that all they did was not get to see a movie. I would have gotten the police and make them tell where that guy lived. They got off LUCKY if ya ask me.

I don't think you really know the legal ramifications you're trying to imply. A person will not automatically go to jail just because they are with someone committing a crime. If you have a warrant or are on parole/probation, then yea you will go to jail. Mainly because of simply being in contact w/police which will violate your parole/probation or having a warrant. Not because you were w/someone assaulting someone in line at the movies and you didn't grab them before they could punch someone and storm off.

No, but he is a representative of the company. Do you really mean that, since there is no single owner of Cinemark, nobody can ever be kicked out of their theaters because the "owner" isn't there? Including the genius here a while back that decided to bring his gun, dropped it and it went off, hitting some poor woman?

Of course not.

What bothers me about the manager's decision is that he asked who KNEW IM and then kicked the people that merely knew him. There could have been a few people in the line that knew the guy but was not with him, and therefore provide a name.

That's exactly what I've been trying to say but nobody cares because they believe the friends could've telegraphed and stopped the guy from doing what he was going to do.

I would like to point a few things out since there seems to be some debate going on with the scenario. The friends where not egging IM on, but they did state afterwards that he was a 'loose cannon'. Personally im on the fence with the manager kicking out the friends. Once IM had left and it looked like M couldnt get any closure on the scenario I'm sure one of his only ways to vent his anger (he had just gotten assaulted) was by kicking out the friends. Also If I where in his position that would seam like a good tactic to possibly get the assaultees name.

I also agree, from being there, that M was firm, but not exactly polite in his manner. He didnt deserve what happened by any means but you can see the direction the conversation was headed.

Thanks for clarifying because that's pretty much what I figured happened. From reading your original post I really didn't think the friends egged him on and the manager was fuming on emotions. I think what IM did was just impulsive and no one would've been able to react in time because it sounds like it all happened so fast. Holding the friends responsible for someone elses actions w/cameras and tons of witnesses in line including yourself who was willing to make a statement is ridiculous. That kinda goes along w/the old saying of not holding children responsible for the sins of their parents.

[Plaidman]

Wow Willis. Guess our city laws are different. I can't count the times someone went to jail, after being handcuffed at my store when their buddy stole. They always all went. Not just the person that stole. They all did. They all got fined. Only rarely did I have to go to court. They just pleaded guilty for lesser fines.

I'm glad I don't live in your city. Otherwise I could just go to a bank with a pal, have them rob it, them hand me the money. Because at that point it just a gift from a friend. I didn't steal.

I could also give a gun to a friend, have them kill someone I don't like, and hey, no time at all. I didn't know my friend was going to kill that person with a gun I handed them.

Hm. Maybe I should move there seeing how easy it is to get away with everything.

[Dips]

Mod Hat On:

Lets sum up the facts regarding the side discussion...

The manager had every right to toss the criminal's buddies out of the theater. He has the right to toss anyone out of the theater for any reason. We don't know if the reason was guilt by association or line-butting or what. We aren't psychic. Doesn't matter. He has the right.

The people tossed out have every right not to to like that they got kicked off the property. It would be silly to expect them to be happy about it. They can call corporate and complain if they feel the manager acted wrongly.

Some posters feel that the manager acted correctly. That's an understandable point of view.

Some posters feel that the manager acted incorrectly. That's also an understandable point of view.

It's moot because what happened has already happened. Not much can be done about it now.

There's really nothing else to discuss along those lines that won't get this thread closed. But it's an interesting debate whether it's good business or whether businesses *should* have the right to toss people out for any reason. By all means go to fratching and start a thread there to discuss it further: www.fratching.com

I think we can all agree that the guy who sucked the MOST was the guy who punched an employee. Last I heard that's a crime and I hope that he gets caught and prosecuted.

Let me just add that it was nice of the OP to step up and offer to give a statement to the police. Good for you!