To recap: man and woman argue over a parking space. He says he was calm until she started throwing punches. DA says he screamed at her. Either way, he punched her, twice, laid her out, and she hit her head on the ground. He ran away (apparently went to the party he had been trying to park for), but cops caught up with him later. He said he didn't realize she was hurt. At last report, woman was in coma, not known if she would live. Cops investigate, DA charging man with felony assault.
New story out of Chicago: http://www.suntimes.com/news/4261612-41 ... ephew.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
In April 2004, group of four younger guys (all just barely 21) has some kind of unpleasant interaction with a group of four somewhat older people (roughly 30s), two males and a married couple. Both groups have been bar hopping in the wee hours. One of the men in the older group, who was a large man, punches one of the younger (and smaller) men, then the older group flees. The puncher and the single male (who says he didn't know anyone got hurt) go to a bar. The young man who was punched struck his head, coma, dies later.
Cops interview two bystanders, "unbiased witnesses" according to the DA, and one of the men from the older group, but don't do any more interviews for two weeks. Eventually, after the kid dies, they get around to interviewing everyone except the guy who did the punching.
According to the police statements, the older group and one of the "unbiased witnesses," said the groups separated and then the young guy rushed the older group and "came flying back," or was "pushed." No one saw a punch.
According to the police statements, two of the young guy's friends also said the groups separated, then the young guy rushed the older ones.
According to police report by different officers who interviewd the third friend, no mention of separation or "rushing."
The other "unbiased witness" also made no mention of separation and rushing.
Police end up classifying the punch as self-defense, because of the "rushing," and drop the investigation.
Earlier this year newspapers start asking about it again, make public records requests of police reports. Police scurry around for a few days, "reinvestigate," come to same conclusion: self-defense. Newspapers publish accounts of the police reports and witness statements.
Some additional elements:
- The young man's friends who read the recent newspaper reports (who never saw the police reports earlier) say the police reports are wrong, they never told
the police that the groups separated and their friend rushed the other group.
- The one "unbiased witness" who saw the separation and rushing (but not the punch) says he just now remembered that he actually does know the puncher -- they were classmates and on the wrestling team in high school.
- The guy who threw the punch is Mayor Daley's nephew (and apparently has never spoken to the cops about the incident).
- The wife of the married couple is the daughter of a friend of Mayor Daley; said friend built the police headquarters building
- The other guy in the older group later married the sister of Mayor Daley's son-in-law.
Moral of the story: if you punch someone to the ground and put him in a coma, make sure you have good witnesses.
