What's Your Body Cam?: Why Smart Business Owners Protect Themselves Before Anything Goes Wrong

Recently, actor Alan Ritchson, star of the Amazon Prime show Reacher, was in the news for getting in an altercation with a neighbor. The neighbor, Ronnie Taylor, alleged Ritchson attacked him after he confronted him for driving his motorcycle loudly through the neighborhood. Taylor, or someone associated with him, released video showing Ritchson striking Taylor several times before the man fell to the ground. Ritchson then struck him again before getting his bike and leaving. Ritchson's children were also present, on motorbikes of their own, but did not become involved. Taylor then told the media he pushed Ritchson because the actor was "coming towards me threateningly on his bike."

Wow. Sounds dramatic and scary. I mean, here we have video evidence of a celebrity abusing a common citizen who was just trying to protect himself. Pretty clear who the bad guy was here, right?

Well, not so fast.

See, Alan Ritchson might play a towering tough guy in Reacher, but like that titular character in the series? He's smart.

Ritchson was wearing a body camera, and the footage from it tells a different story. You can read more about it in articles like this NBC News report, but in brief it turns out Taylor stepped out in front of Ritchson while he was riding past. At some point during this, Taylor also shoved Ritchson. These actions, combined with Ritchson slamming on the brakes to avoid hitting Taylor since swerving would have taken him into the path of his children behind him, caused Ritchson and his bike to fall.

That's not all. Taylor then continued to confront Ritchson, screaming, making aggressive motions, and trying to keep the actor from leaving. Ritchson attempted to leave anyway when Taylor followed him and shoved him again. Only then did Ritchson strike the man, hitting him several times in an effort to stop Taylor's assault. His blows dropped Taylor, after which he is heard telling the man to stay down. Taylor tries to get up and is struck again before he stays down long enough for Ritchson to retrieve his bike and leave with his children.

When the bodycam footage released, the tenor of the event changed. The media began to report that Ritchson was defending himself. The police agreed and issued a statement they would not pursue charges against the actor for acting in self-defense.

Now, you might be wondering: "Well, this is interesting and all, but what does this have to do with my business or the law or anything else but some actor and his neighbor?"

Because it teaches a larger lesson.

The Business Parallel

As a commercial litigator and fractional general counsel, I've seen this dynamic play out in business more times than I can count. Alan Ritchson is a smart guy. He understood that as a motorcyclist and a public figure, he was a target for those looking to exploit an incident for personal gain. So, he didn't wait for something bad to happen. Instead, he made sure any incident he was part of would be documented.

Now yes, this precaution might never have mattered. It was possible he could have worn that camera while riding for years without incident. However, when problems arose, his preparation and planning paid off. He avoided costly legal expenses and possibly even jail time. That's why such precautions are worth it. Not for the thousand days they aren't needed, but for the one where they are.

This lesson applies broadly, not just to actors or bike riding or even body cameras specifically. And that lesson is this: a bit of time, effort, and expense to protect yourself now can save you so much later. In life and in business.

Ask Yourself These Questions

So, ask yourself: What is your bike ride? Who is your angry neighbor? What are the potential calamities in your life and business you can prevent or lessen the impact of with proper preparation and planning? What's the worst that could happen, and are you really prepared and protected from it?

Further, what is your "body cam"? What are those protective measures that help shield you from harm and liability? Maybe they're solid contracts and vendor agreements, IP assignments, and terms that actually hold up. Maybe they're well-crafted employment terms, equity structures, and governance documents that don't leave gaps. In truth? It's all of those things, anchored by counsel who understands both the legal exposure and the business at stake.

How Vidar Law Can Help

At Vidar Law, we help growth-stage companies, founders, and operators answer exactly those questions before a contract dispute, a governance gap, or a bad hire turns into a crisis. If you're not confident your legal foundation is solid, schedule a 15-minute fit check here.

If you would like our free Business Legal Foundation Checklist, send us an email at info@vidarlaw.com with the subject "Business Foundation" and we'll send you our checklist.

(This post is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Specific outcomes depend on facts and jurisdiction.)