Posted on 04/05/2007 2:43:06 PM PDT by Kimmers
Jurors convicted an 81-year-old woman of felony battery Wednesday for hitting a police officer with her cane.
Betty Chambers showed no reaction when the guilty verdict was announced, but outside the courtroom she used a newspaper to hide her face from cameras. "I'm sick of seeing my picture on TV! I've done nothing wrong!" she said.
The verdict came one day after a judge dropped a charge of resisting law enforcement against Chambers, who claimed she acted in self-defense.
Chambers could face six months to three years in prison when she is sentenced May 15 in St. Joseph Superior Court.
Chambers also is being sued by two officers who say they were injured when they went to her home south of South Bend to check on her welfare in February 2005.
When Cpl. Lonny Foresman and Detective Sgt. John Pavlekovich arrived, the woman's caretaker, Thomas Holleman, now 58, became argumentative and told them to leave, according to a police report.
Pavlekovich reported that Holleman resisted arrest and that Chambers began striking Foresman in the neck and head with her wooden cane. Foresman was diagnosed with a mild concussion, while Pavlekovich separated his shoulder while wrestling Holleman to the ground to handcuff him, the lawsuit contends.
The judge listened to testimony from both officers Tuesday and ruled that evidence showed Chambers did not directly struggle with Pavlekovich or injure him.
The battery charge involved Foresman's injury.
"I felt a bump on my head," Foresman testified. "I shook it off at first because I didn't know what it was. It was just a knock."
But then he felt a second and a third blow.
"That's when I was stunned," he said. "I knew I was hurting at that time."
Chambers, who is 5 feet tall and 100 pounds, testified that she acted out of self defense and feared Holleman would be killed.
"I have to protect my interests," Chambers said of Holleman. "If he's gone, I'm gone."
Holleman served 40 days in jail for the incident.
There’s nothing wrong with typing with a western drawl.
Think Logan.
I’ll be right back. stephenjohnyourscreenname’stoolong, keep an eye on chena, will ya?
Chena is covered!
I never get men at my window. But I had a moose check me out once. LOL
Aw, shuckins, ma’am.....it warent nuthin.....
You’re older than I am! Not by much, but ya are. I like to tell people that I’m 63 just so I can hear them say, “but you don’t look a day over 50-somethin’”.
“I never get men at my window. But I had a moose check me out once”
Those darn moose....musta been one of them thar Tillamook moose!
Ok, I gotta know. What’s with the Windex?! Are you throwing it at men? Never heard of that come-on before.
ROFLMAO!!!!!!
“Woo-hoo! Next up, the works of Thoreau!”
Next up..........” Walden Pond.....The Final Conflict”
I have a whole bunch of cast iron pans hanging around my kitchen island. Just not sure which size to use. Do I want him to sleep all week, or just til morning...hmmm
The little old lady apparently gave a cop a concussion. Her caretaker dislocated another cop’s shoulder. It may seem odd, or unlikely, but facts is facts.
You can’t just take a pass on that. I vote for a suspended sentence, time served, and probation. Then send her home, and don’t step foot on her porch without saying “excuse me, ma’am” first.
I am? Is that why it’s so dark in here?
I do declare, you’re quite the gentlemen. Do you like purple hair? ;)
Nope, a real, live Alaskan moose. I call her Big Bertha. She’s HUGE.
“I have a whole bunch of cast iron pans hanging around my kitchen island. Just not sure which size to use. Do I want him to sleep all week, or just til morning...hmmm”
I’ll take “shlong him in the forehead with a 16 inch skillet for 400, Alex”
LOL!
Hugh Series, author of Wally and the Beeber. Fine author!
Works of Thoreau? Yikes, you’re making my BRAIN bleed. Payback’s a ‘itch. ;) teehee
I’m stuned speechless.
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