07-08-2015, 08:41 AM
(07-08-2015, 04:29 AM)Cutz Wrote: He shouldn't have walked away, or called the cops, or punched her. He shouldn't have been in a BAR at the age of 19 to begin with.
Why shouldn't he have been there? Yianni's is an 18 and over club. Is there a law that says he can't approach the bar there?
He's not charged with underage drinking or anything, to the best of my knowledge.
(07-08-2015, 04:29 AM)Cutz Wrote: He's not a person I'd defend, and I wouldn't keep him on my football team. However, the "self defense" claim, is exactly that, a claim. He had just pushed his way up to the bar in a crowded room - asshole move, but not a crime. Walking away would have been difficult. Calling the cops is not an immediate response.
Whether it would have been difficult to walk away is irrelevant. People aren't required or expected, by law or otherwise, to do the right thing only when it's easy.
And, he sure didn't have any problem getting away from that bar and that girl in that crowded room quickly after he held her with his left hand and bashed her in the face with his right fist.
He could have called the cops after he walked away if he'd felt he'd been assaulted. It doesn't have to be an "immediate (on-the-spot) response".
(07-08-2015, 04:29 AM)Cutz Wrote: You're the one that posted his defense that she kneed him in the groin, in addition to attempting to strike him in the face. At what point does fear for one's own safety really flip the switch for you? Are you saying you know for sure he didn't feel his life was in danger? If she was shouting racial slurs at him, that makes it a hate crime too. Yep.
Of course I posted what his defense lawyer is now claiming, I always want to hear both sides of the story.
Baez says although Johnson knows he should have walked away, that his client was provoked by a racial slur and her physical response to being pushed at the bar. Because Jose Baez said it to the media, doesn't mean the slur really happened. Doesn't mean it didn't either.
Johnson put his hands on the girl first, it's right there on the video. I don't see any kneeing or kicking to the groin, I see her lift her leg to create distance and he's still handling her. She takes a swing with her left hand. He holds her with his left hand and bashes her in the face with his right.
I don't believe Johnson was in reasonable fear for his life or in great danger. Neither he nor his defense attorney are even trying to make that claim (so far). Police and prosecutors have reviewed the tape and interviewed the witnesses. They have witnesses who were at the bar who say she said "no, no" before he hit her. They have filed charges against him for battery. The video, in my eyes, supports those charges. But, if it goes to trial, I'll be open minded in considering the defense's claim and evidence to back it up.
(07-08-2015, 04:29 AM)Cutz Wrote: So there's the defense. And it's legit enough that I'm surprised a warrant was issued for his arrest. Because it's biased against women. If a dude had attacked Johnson, this would be an incident that got him in trouble, not arrested and kicked off his team immediately.
Men get arrested and prosecuted for assault against other men all of the time.