If that's true, it's hard to claim self-defense. OTOH, just for the sake of argument, look at it from the bum's point of view . . . TWO punks with brass knuckles -- and anyone who carries brass knuckles IS a punk -- attack you in the middle of the night. I think I'd want to make sure they didn't come back, myself, knowing how punks think.
The Howard family and fellow bar owners were outraged, saying Howard was chased down and bashed repeatedly in the back of the head.
Unless "The Howard family and fellow bar owners" were there (and why didn't they help, huh?) then they're just guessing. Only the 3rd man in the fight knows much about what really happened.
"TWO punks with brass knuckles -- and anyone who carries brass knuckles IS a punk "
I'll second that! As someone points out in a later message, two guys wearing knucks take on a guy with a pipe. Pipe guy wins. Could have gone the other way, too.
Some guy comes at me with brass knuckles, I'm going to pick up whatever's handy and brain him with it...period. Of course, that's if I don't have a firearm handy.
But, then, this guy was just a bum, eh? Not really a human being at all. Seems to be the sentiment upthread.
Things have changed. Maybe just locally. Punks and skinheads would just set the bum on fire and pee him out!