Self-defense is, inexplicably, no defense

Chicago Tribune ^ | Oct. 28,2007 | John Kass

[garyhope]

On Sunday, Bob Mette and his son, Mike, 30, will go to the game at Soldier Field to watch the Bears play the Lions. On Monday, Bob will drive Mike to Iowa, to prison. Mike Mette, until recently a Chicago police officer, is scheduled to begin serving a 5-year prison sentence.

His crime? According to the judge's ruling, Mike threw one punch at an angry drunk who chased Mike down the street and attacked him verbally, physically, repeatedly.

The drunk is fine now, golfing, having attended college in Dubuque. The last time I checked he was adding to his resume with a DUI. And Mette?

[goldstategop]

He was a fascist, filthy pig and to the Left, he deserved what what he got. That's why there's no justice for the Mike Mettes of the world.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[Spktyr]

Chicago, IL doesn’t recognize the right to self defense either.

Mette is being treated as he demonstrably was willing to treat others.

[Melas]

Before anyone gets excited, a little research please. Gotthard, the official victim had bruises on the side of his neck, his arms, his elbow, his shoulders, and his back. Medical experts testified at the trial that his injuries were consistant with someone who had been stomped and kicked.

The officers at the scene arrested Mette because his one punch story and the evidence being loaded into the ambulance didn’t add up. The testimony of physicians was given and a jury reached a verdict.

None of which this particular columnist felt necessary to mention.

[D-fendr]

If he was attacked, which seems to be proven and accepted, then what’s the long sentence for?

[Conscience of a Conservative]

Just because he was attacked, does not justify the use of excessive force. Self-defense is only a defense if the individual defending himself uses “reasonable” force; kicking and stomping on an individual after that individual is already on the ground is not “reasonable” force.

Mette did not lose because he punched the guy once. He lost because the evidence suggested that he did much more than just punch the guy once. Had the judge believed his story (i.e., had the evidence backed him up), he wouldn’t be off to jail.

[iowamark]

Gothard suffered a broken cheekbone, multiple fractures to his nose and a broken jaw, according to court records. He had multiple hemorrhages on the brain. He had bruising on both buttocks and the sides of his arms and on his ribs, and he had lacerations to his face and head.

[damondonion]

So when a guy chases you down the street and attacks you, you’re allowed only one punch??

[camle]

what’s the rest of the story here? I feel like being led down the garden path. something doesn’t add up here - why would a cop on the scene of a fight go AGAINST another cop? there is a loto off stuff we’re not being told by this crusading journalist...

[robertpaulsen]

"Gothard suffered a broken cheekbone, multiple fractures to his nose and a broken jaw, according to court records. He had multiple hemorrhages on the brain. He had bruising on both buttocks and the sides of his arms and on his ribs, and he had lacerations to his face and head."

He was knocked unconscious. He was airlifted to a hospital where he spent four days.

In Iowa, assault causing serious injury carries a mandatory five-year term. Maybe that's harsh, I don't know. But that's what the citizens of Iowa want.

He's a cop. You'd think he would know the law.

[LIConFem]

Sickening. The persecutor [sic] and judge in this case should be disbarred, at the very least. At most, they should be tried for clear viloations of Mettes' civil rights and sent to the pokey (where I'm sure they'd be very popular).

[robertpaulsen]

Reporters should report. For the facts of the case, go here to download the judge's opinion (4 pages, .pdf, 197KB).

[Mad Dawg]

Is this a quote? From where, please?

[Melas]

Dig deeper. This was not a one punch incident. Gotthard was severely beaten incurring multiple serious injuries requiring that he be airlifted from one hospital to another. This columnist is lying through his his teeth.

[RGSpincich]

Now where is that picture of the BS Meter pegging out?

[MrB]

So when a guy chases you down the street and attacks you, you’re allowed only one punch??

No, not even that. I believe what we have here is a minority "victim" (the drunk at the party) harrassing, intimidating, and assaulting a white person, and when the white person responds, he is treated as "the oppressor".

[LIConFem]

Forget the columnist. I read the judge’s ruling. I don’t recall any mention of a severe beating. Just a single punch, provoked by physical assault on Mette, after which Mette’s assailant hit the ground and hit his head. There was no testimony (according to the ruling) contradicting that (although, having said that, I'll go back to the ruling and check my facts).

I also read in the ruling that:

a) IL law requires that someone in Mette's situation is required by law to either flee or stand there and take a beating, and...

b) He (Mette) decided against a jury trial.

Mette's only mistake was waiving his right to a jury. He might have benefited from the jurors' innate sense of justice (id est jury nullification).

[Melas]

Even if you read the judges report, which does not detail the medical evidence, you’ll have to dig deeper for that, you’ll see that Gotthard was airlifted from a level two to a level one trauma center because he had multiple hemorrhages in his brain. If you can’t see the significance there, let me know and I’ll explain it more detail.

[LIConFem]

Yep, checked my facts. No “severe beating”, just a single punch after being pushed three times (assaulted). Mette’s attacker deserved what he got. The fact that he cracked his melon on the pavement is unfortunate, but no one’s fault but his own.

[LIConFem]

Mette's attacker his his head on the pavement. Does it surprise you that someone who is intoxicated (BAC .270) would fail to protect his melon in a fall?

And I'm curious as to where you came up with the "severe beating" claim. One would think that the judge would use such a fact (if indeed it was fact) to back his decision.