I was in Nordstrom on lunch break looking at watches. I wanted to get one that measures your heartbeat. I was shown a couple of sport watches but they did not have the newer casio I was interested in. I left the counter and looked at some ties. I bought one with a thanksgiving theme. As I was leaving the was a man behind me, whatever. I was walking in the store and saw the party I was with from work. We had to get back to work (across the street for a large financing corp. I asked them what they got and then I showed them my tie. I stopped for one second and looked at a nice jacket right near the door. I noticed the same man from a distance looking at me. The girls were getting too far ahead of me so I went for the door. They were allready half way to the car I could see from the inside.

When I exited the store I was stopped by a man outside. He told me I was under arrest for shoplifting. I said "What? No, not me buddy sorry you got the wrong guy." I saw the girls and they were looking over at me. (we went in my car) I started walking away and he grabbed me. I told him to get his hands off of me. He swung first and hit me but just grazed me I then answered with a right hand uppercut to the chin resulting in him bite-cutting his tounge. blood spattered everywhere on me from that. I said "You stupid idiot." and began to go for the car with him chasing me.

At this moment, two additional men (one who had been lookinig at me in the store) bolted out of the store and were headed for me " Get that son of a bitch! He cut me!" said the man who was outside that originally stopped me.

I was out of breath, running and threw them my keys. I then stopped, faked, and ran the other direction saying that they got the wrong guy. One was too fast for me to continue and he leaped on my back. I turned and fell on him on the asphault, got up and started to take off when I got kicked in the head which knocked me down. When down, all three were on me and really gave me some good injuries.

They thought I stole an expensive bottle of perfume and the jacket I was wearing. I took nothing from that store. I bought a tie. My jacket is not even from Nordstroms. They really beat the crap out of me. They held me and interigated me. I told them I need to call my work and the police but they first made me strip down my clothes.I kept telling them I didn't do anything wrong, and that he swung at me first and was just trying to get away from them injuring me. They said they were going to charge me with assault.

The police came and I tried to explain but they did not listen. I was arrested for assault.

I told the guy in the beginning that he had the wrong guy, and then he laid hands on me. I pushed him away from me and then he swung at me and grazed my head. Not until then did I fully retaliate.

Their whole purpose of stopping me was not legit. I overheard one Loss prevention guy say that the guy they were looking at exited the way inside the mall. They know they stopped the wrong guy, and now they are going to charge me with assault? Why? Because it took them 15 min to beat the heck out of me instead of 1 min? Outnumbered three to one? I had to make bail before I got fired, coming to work with two black eyes and scraped from head to toe (they really beat the pulp out of me in the parking lot. I have two girls and some other people as witnesses.) You know what? I can't afford an attorney. I don't have thousands of dollars for that right now.
There was no shoplifting charges. All they spoke about was how I did this and that trying tp defend myself from being attacked by three men.
It's not right! I mean, they were not letting up, so neither did I. I had to defend myself from those idiots.

Lost and need advice.
Knockdown from California