Posted on 02/27/2012 10:00:42 AM PST by James C. Bennett
MECHANICSBURG, Pa. (WHTM) - It almost sounds like the makings of a joke: an atheist, a Muslim and the Mechanicsburg Halloween parade. But non-believers aren't laughing about an attack and insist what's really frightening is the way a district judge ruled on it.
The Atheists of Central Pennsylvania decided to walk in the Mechanicsburg Halloween parade. There was a zombie Pope and a zombie Muhammed. On YouTube, you can catch a scary moment. It's dark and distorted, but a Muslim man comes off the curb extremely offended at Muhammed being depicted in this way.
"He grabbed me, choked me from the back, and spun me around to try to get my sign off that was wrapped around my neck," said Ernie Perce, who donned the costume.
The Muslim man and Perce both called police to report a crime. Both kept walking, and a few blocks down found Sgt. Brian Curtis. He talked to both and came to this conclusion.
"Mr. Perce has the right to do what he did that evening, and the defendant in this case was wrong in confronting him," he said.
Talaag Elbayomy was charged with harassment, but District Judge Mark Martin threw it out after criticizing Perce, the victim, and even calling him a "doofus." The audio is also on YouTube.
Martin, who has done several tours of duty in the Middle East, said Perce would be put to death in those societies for his crime, but Perce wonders why that's relevant in this country.
"He let a man who is Muslim, because of his preference of his culture and his way of life, walk free from an attack," Perce said.
R. Mark Thomas represented Elbayomy and applauds the judge.
"I think this was a good dressing down by the judge," he said. "The so-called victim was the antagonist and we introduced evidence that clearly showed his attitude toward Muslims. The judge didn't do anything I wouldn't have done if I was in that position."
Although Elbayomy denied touching Perce at trial, Curtis said he admitted grabbing Perce's sign and beard the night of the incident.
Talaag Elbayomy said he was at the parade with his wife and two kids and felt he just had to do something. In fact, he too called police because he thought it was a crime for someone to depict Muhammed in such a way. He has since learned otherwise.
The State can’t appeal an acquittal.
This was a criminal case. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania had the burden of proof. If they judge finds the defendant not guilty, there is no appeal.
LOL, are you the same judge posting here?
Nope. And “conspiracy” is the last retreat of small minds.
Well, you’re the one conspiring that the video was edited.
It wouldn’t be hard to find witnesses to confirm the audio on that tape...
have leftists come out on a side yet?
Islam supposedly claims no divinity for Muham’n’eggs but his goofy followers sure seem to.
Wonder if this guy's an illegal immigrant. It would be terrible if this guy is an American citizens with such outright ignorance of this nation's laws.
Since when do they have to prove a charge was "just" when the defendant provably commits assault?
This "judge" needs to be made subject to his own standard.
“Keep in mind that the atheist was also attacking Christianity to”
That’s not relevant.
The atheist-ass that he obviously is-was not "attacking" anyone. If lampooning someone's faith rises to incitement I've got a lifetime of free boxing practice with live punching bags, and that's just if I limit myself to the MSNBC editorial staff. Free speech is free speech. Had the atheist been inside a mosque I could see your point. But he wasn't. Mr. Atheist was in a public place. He was breaking no laws and had every right to be secure in his person while he acted out exercised his right to free speech. We don't have to like what he was saying to defend him.
I called his office and told him to resign. You should too.
they’re so immersed in it. And what you’ve done is, you’ve completely trashed their essence, their being. They find it very, very, very offensive.
who wouda guessed?
so the muslim guy goes scot free because he’s muslim not because he’s innocent. if this keeps up our courts are in deep door doo
This “judge” is totally incompetent. He can’t even look at simple 5th grade facts and see obvious guilt.
You’ll notice there is no contesting of the facts that the Muslim attacked the parading costumer of Muhammad.
The nitwit judge simply states that the defendant thought he was right. The judge has no other evidence for a “not guilty” charge. He also shows lack of judicial temperament by opining that the attacked man was a “doofus”
This “judge” is totally incompetent. He can’t even look at simple 5th grade facts and see obvious guilt.
You’ll notice there is no contesting of the facts that the Muslim attacked the parading costumer of Muhammad.
The nitwit judge simply states that the defendant thought he was right. The judge has no other evidence for a “not guilty” charge. He also shows lack of judicial temperament by opining that the attacked man was a “doofus”
On the other hands, atheists are very bold about showing their contempt for the feelings of religious people, while claiming to be offended by the most innocuous religious display. Once upon time, this was not the case. Good manners , just good sense dictates that we treat others with respect, and not just atheists. Many a knife fight in a bar has started with a stupid insult.
then the victim of the crime can file a complaint.
Muslims have it ingrained in their Quran to not treat non-Muslims with respect. Their arrogance is produced purely as a result of it being sanctioned by their cult’s scriptures.
“It’s their culture, their culture, their very essence, their very being.”
This is a remarkable statement of Dhimmitude. Any judge sitting in an American courtroom should first and foremost say: “The Constitution is our culture, our very essence, our very being as a nation and as a system of laws”.
Why does the culture of Constitutional governance bow before a culture of intensely ethnocentric hostility? Sickening.
Whatever his other good qualities may be, including his military service, this judge either does not understand American jurisprudence or chooses to submit our legal principles before the Muslim tide.
As a Catholic I was offended by the mockery of the pope. But if I were to simply to throw a tomato at the guy wearing the costume, I would be locked up. I hate this fact, but in this case I am on the side of the Muslim. He did not real harm to the guy.
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