Originally Posted by
SactoDoug
In America, it is legal in every state that I know of to use force to make a citizen's arrest to keep the criminal in the area long enough for the police to arrive. This criminal could try to sue in civil court afterwards but he won't win.
Now if this happened in the UK then things are different. They coddle their criminals more there.
Actually there are many cases in the US where the "criminal" did in fact sue and win... Citizen's arrest are generally considered "blue laws" much like the anti-sodomy laws in the south... Given the state your in I would put the odds in the favor of the criminal--even if they had a rap sheet a mile long and you had video evidence supporting your "arrest"...