American University Criminal Law Brief Volume 5 Issue 1 Article 3 2009 The Case for a Criminal Law Theory of Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress Leslie Yalof Garfield Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.wcl.american.edu/clb Part of the Criminal Law Commons Recommended Citation Garfield, Leslie alof.Y "The Case for a Criminal Law Theory of Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress." American University Criminal Law Brief 5, no. 1 (2009):33-50. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Washington College of Law Journals & Law Reviews at Digital Commons @ American University Washington College of Law. It has been accepted for inclusion in American University Criminal Law Brief by an authorized editor of Digital Commons @ American University Washington College of Law. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. The Case for a Criminal Law Theory of Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress By LESLIE YALOF GarfieLd ords hurt! Recent cyber bulling news The same elements are used to prove both IIED and the stories show that a word can be as criminal charges for assault, battery and false imprison- painful as a punch.1 Unfortunately, the ment. IIED, like assault and false imprisonment, is Wlaw redresses those who suffer injury largely a mental anguish offense.13 A prima facie case from harmful speech through a series of innocuous for IIED requires, among other elements, proof that the remedies, including financial remuneration or retribu- plaintiff suffered severe emotional