Legal Question in Criminal Law in Minnesota

Neighbor Harassment

My neighbor, who is an elderly man, seems to pick out my 12 yr old son and makes gestures or mumbles stuff to him.

His actions has my son very nervous around him and he also does it to other members of my family including myself. However, we have not witnessed him doing it to any other person on the street we live.

We've made it known to him that we do not want to be ''neighborly'' as we know his background with young children (need I say more).

Typically he just stands and stares at us when we come home or just working outside. He shake his head and talked to himself. He has told other children on the block not to be friends with my son.

My last conversation with him I asked him to just keep to his business. However, he went on to tell me what a ''Dick'' I was and no one on the block liked our family and we should move, he'd rather have a ''black'' family living next to him, etc, etc.

I'm really at my end here trying to figure out how to resolve this other than moving. I don't think we should have to move. He has propagated all of this and we've never done anything to him other than not be his ''friend''. I'm most concerned about my 12 year old and how this is affecting him.


Asked on 7/14/09, 10:41 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Maury Beaulier612.240.8005 Minnesota Lawyers

Re: Neighbor Harassment

You can seek a restraining order for harassment that precludes the neighbor from communicating with you and your family. However, there is no way to stop the neighbor from communicating with other neighbors, using his property, standing or talking to himself in public or even looking at you or your family. I am afraid the law only goes so far.

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Answered on 7/15/09, 10:41 am


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