You can report it. But nobody can press charges except the owner or his representative. Also, and this is the difficult part. The person committing the crime has to refuse to leave when ordered to do so. Since no one ordered him, and he left, no crime. Sorry Charlie.
I find it strange that Georgia law would be so different from Florida law. I'm still tending to think that they are the same. In Florida, there are signs posted on construction sites, Serious crime to trespass there. And if caught, you get a no trespass warning. If you return, you go to jail.
SHOW in the statute where it says what you said.
Whereas I have no difficulty in either understanding that laws are different state to state. For example. In Georgia with my Carry License I can conceal about any weapon I want, so long as the weapon is legal. With Reciprocity I can carry in Florida with my Georgia license. But I have to obey Florida laws. I can also carry in Colorado, but the types of weapons are limited. Colorado has more restrictive laws than Georgia.
Some states allow right turn on Red. Other states do not. Let’s combine these two. Let’s say I carry my licensed weapon concealed into a business which has no guns allowed sign on the door. Believe it or not I have not committed a crime. If found the store employees can tell me to leave. As long as I depart when instructed to do so, I have not committed a crime. If I remain in defiance of the legal order. Then I have.
Last Updated 05/17/2021. Concealed Carry is legal with a permit at 21. Explore Georgia gun laws, Weapons Carry Licenses & CCW Reciprocity Map
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In Georgia it is perfectly legal to not inform the cop you are carrying concealed. It is dumb. But it is legal. Personally I keep my CWL behind my drivers license. I present both to the cop if I am stopped while armed. This way he knows and knows I am licensed to do so. The one time I did this for a minor fender bender the cop asked me to put the gun in my car and of course I did so. No problem and no citation was issued.
But back to Trespassing. If I am not committing a crime ignoring a no weapons sign what makes you think the cops are going to go hog wild if there is nothing stolen and no damage?
The reason for those with half a brain is that the paperwork will take longer than the guy is in jail. The last time I sat in Magistrates Court. I go every six months or so just to watch and listen. Call it a voyeur experience if you like. Sorry. The last time the two Trespassing cases were both no damage and were $100 plus court costs. Hardly worth the trouble.
in both cases the testimony was that the teenagers had been told to leave and when the cops checked back later found the kids had returned. Oh the location was a public park which was closed at night
Judging from my time being a voyeur in court Trespassing just does not have the priority.
Now Burglary has some priority. If Ahmad had stolen something it would be a bigger priority. But it would also be a felony case if enough value had been taken. But Ahmad had not stolen anything. No burglary reports in two months. What could he have stolen from a house under construction that was able to be concealed in shorts and a T shirt? Half a dozen bent nails?
The overreaction by the McMorons is the crime. Read the link. Aggravated Assault is pointing a weapon at someone loaded or not, so they are afraid of death or bodily harm. The only legal reason is if the weapon holder has a reasonable fear. In other words self defense.
Ahmad was the victim. Not because he was black. But because by the book the McMorons broke the law. If Ahmad had stopped and been detained for trespassing at gunpoint he could have filed charges of kidnapping against the McMorons since he did not commit any crimes other than possible Trespassing at the most. And the reason nobody does much if there is no damage or nothing stolen? It cost the victim more in lost wages to hang around court all day.
Let’s say the miscreant is fined a total of $300 and there was no damage. That means the property owner has to appear in court and testify that he put signs up and when he saw the trespasser told him to leave. Chances are the owner just lost $500 in wages or vacation to come and watch the bad guy lose less.
If something is damaged the Judge will order restitution for the damages. Ok. That makes sense. You go to get your cash back. I can dig that. But no damages? You would have to work really hard to get me to take the subpoena.