Durham Police Begin Probe Of Alleged Assault At Raleigh Bar (Investigators under investigation)

WRAL.com ^ | July 22, 2006 | WRAL .com

[Jezebelle]

I would. It's a distinguishing trait.

[Mike Nifong]

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Looking over the ABC report after their interview of the Cook, the BALD guy did the following that night:

(note: the BALD guy is referred to as the initial perpetrator in this article)

"F—- you, nig——-!" Thomas said the initial perpetrator responded (to his WOO-HOO)

"F—- you, cracker!'' Thomas said he replied.

The car stopped, he said, and the man who allegedly screamed the epithet got out. Thomas said the man walked over to him, POKED him on the shoulder with his finger, and said, "You don't know what you're getting into, BOY."

Thomas said he suggested to the initial perpetrator that a fight was imminent.

"I don't have to do it,'' the man allegedly said. "He's going to do it,'' and pointed to the driver of the Nissan.

Thomas described the initial perpetrator as about 6'1", medium build, BALD and with no facial hair.

Back to my comments, after the BALD man says he's going to do it, the man that BALD guy pointed to, DID, swiftly attack the man, according to the Cook's statements.


So the cook attributes the following actions to the BALD man:
racial slurs, additional "Boy" comment, an aggressive confronting of another, Poking in the shoulder (assault), communicating threats (he's going to do it), the urging of a lower ranked officer to assault and batter a person, surrounding a man while he's being attacked, fleeing the scene, and failure to report the crime.

Note: No BALD man is charged, the 3 men not charged (one is the BALD man) have had their restrictions lifted and they are back to their normal status on the Police force.

ABC article detailing alleged events that night:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/LegalCenter/story?id=2227472&page=1

The Durham Herald article notes that no one is charged with the Shoulder Poke attribued to BALDY:

"The shoulder poke was likely a criminal act under North Carolina law, given court decisions that have held "the merest unauthorized touching of another [person] is an assault," said Barry Winston, a criminal-defense lawyer in Chapel Hill.

A judge "who strictly interprets the law would, I suspect, hold that North Carolina law requires him to convict someone who walks up to someone and in an antagonistic fashion pokes that person with his finger," although that's "not what the average person thinks of as assault," Winston said."
http://www.heraldsun.com/durham/4-756371.html

I have contended that the Media believed that Gottlieb was the aggressive man that the Cook was describing and that's why his picture, and his alone, was posted next to the articles detailing the allegations. In my opinion, this "angle" of questioning by the Durham Herald supports that the media thought some else would be charged - someone other than the two officers charged. The Cook has been quoted as indicating he was surprised and thought the paper had the the wrong guys being indicted.

.

[abb]

Today's stories...

2 Durham officers charged with assault
http://www.heraldsun.com/durham/4-756371.html

2 Durham officers charged in bar incident
http://www.newsobserver.com/100/story/465242.html

Cheek passes on run for DA
http://www.newsobserver.com/102/story/465237.html

The final answer: No campaign for Cheek
http://www.heraldsun.com/durham/4-756397.html

Durham DA Nifong To Discuss Upcoming Election
http://www.wral.com/news/9589993/detail.html

Durham "justice": political and intimidating, NOT colorblind and fair
http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/gaynor/060727

[abb]

and this...

http://johninnorthcarolina.blogspot.com/

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

Just got up....
Un friggin believeable

2 theories; either one up for grabs

1. 2 officers taking the fall
2. set up

[abb]

another theory.

coverup, just because they can...

[Mike Nifong]

I guess it's possible the Bald guy could be a former officer or someone not related to Duke, but if that is so, then there's one big Question:

Why hasn't the reported Bald instigator and aggressor - the man that allegedly brought the entire thing on and was the first to make contact with the Cook, and then called on another officer to attack, reportedly, been charged?

And one of the articles said that only 2 men had retained lawyers - one officer charged and Gottlieb.

The Cook's unhappy about which officers were indicted too!

[Mike Nifong]

It could be that they are simply "overlooking" the actions and partipation of one officer because the price to pay was simply too high to go there.

[abb]

I'm sure Melanie's all over this... /sarc...

[Mike Nifong]

Nancy Grace too!

[Locomotive Breath]

It looks like him if he had a mustache at the time.

[abb]

The little skinny one?

[Mike Nifong]

How do you think Colin Finnerty and his parents feel today?

[Mad-Margaret]

The cook is more than unhappy. He's incredulous! (Aren't we all!)

From http://www.heraldsun.com/durham/4-756371.html

Thomas was surprised Thursday to hear that the charges involved the officers they did. "Lee and Tanner? Huh. OK. Check that again and call me back," he said before cutting off a brief interview. "I don't think you have the right guys."

The cook did not elaborate, and did not return a call placed to his cell phone late Thursday afternoon.

Oh, does this reek! So Gottlieb gets a pass (to continue his work on Duke) and the other two take the fall. That black cook should bring civil charges against Gottlieb.

Anyone want to take my bet that the internal investigation by Durham police will also clear Gottlieb?

[maggief]

How about that!

http://www.heraldsun.com/durham/4-756371.html

Thomas was surprised Thursday to hear that the charges involved the officers they did. "Lee and Tanner? Huh. OK. Check that again and call me back," he said before cutting off a brief interview. "I don't think you have the right guys."

I see some bloggers are asking Melanie the same questions.

I wonder if Cash Michaels wants to take this one on.

[maggief]

abb,

You may want to find your ping list again.

See Mad-Margaret's post #1474:

Blinco's line cook, ""I don't think you have the right guys."

[abb]

y'all wanna do another thread or keep this one?

[maggief]

Let's do a new thread.

This stinks to high heaven! COVERUP!!!

Thanks, abb! :)

[CondorFlight]

"How do you think Colin Finnerty and his parents feel today?"


Finnerty's probation doesn't run out until Jan. 2007.

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

We must have been twins in another life (one as evil as the other, LOL!)

I was just going to post abb for a new thread.
Poor abb, The Postmaster