Posted on 07/25/2007 7:16:26 PM PDT by SpyderTim
www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-kass_bd15jul15,1,3978402.column
chicagotribune.com This officer's sentence is hogwash John Kass
July 15, 2007
In an Iowa criminal case that smells of a thousand hogs, a young Chicago police officer was sentenced last week to 5 years in prison for defending himself against an attack by two large, drunken men, even though he testified that he repeatedly tried avoiding a fight.
There is a U.S. Department of Justice office in Iowa. What is happening to Chicago police officer Michael Mette bears some serious federal inquiry.
Dubuque District Court Judge Monica Ackley agrees Mette was attacked, he tried to avoid conflict, two large men hounded him down the street, and one of them got into Mette's face and began pushing him, repeatedly, before Mette threw one punch and knocked the guy out.
----------
jskass@tribune.com
Copyright © 2007, Chicago Tribune
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
Sorry, no. IL has the same kind of “you must flee” laws, and Chicago is vehemently anti-gun. The officer should have known better.
“The city of Chicago’s refusal to turn over the names of the 600+ police officers who’ve had ten or more complaints registered against them in the last five years is allegedly to protect the privacy of these officers.”
Well, some of them may well have deserved the complaints. But, there are also street-smart people who file complaints against officers for revenge/spite, just because they know these complaints have to be recorded and placed in the officer’s file.
(IOW, the number of complaints may/may not have any bearing on the officer’s real performance.)
“Dubuque District Court Judge Monica Ackley agrees Mette was attacked, he tried to avoid conflict, two large men hounded him down the street, and one of them got into Mette’s face and began pushing him, repeatedly, before Mette threw one punch and knocked the guy out.”
What would have been the sentence had the officer just pulled out his revolver and shot him? Five years?
What if he had sold cocaine while in uniform? Five years?
What if he had run down a civilian with his patrol car while drunk, and then sped on without stopping? Five years?
So, for one punch, thrown defensively at a drunk who was assaulting him, he gets five years?
who was in Dubuque visiting a brother, retaliated, Gallagher said, with a beating that caused severe injuries including two brain bleeds.
Found it! Now I know why it was five years, a single right hook my butt!
Uh, no, it WAS a single right hook. The other guy was loaded beyond belief.
METTE/IOWA INCIDENT PRESS RELEASE
The following press release was issued on Monday, July 16, 2007 by President Mark Donahue of the Fraternal Order of Police, Chicago Lodge #7.
An incident that occurred in the early morning hours of October 9, 2005, has resulted in a Delaware County, Iowa Judge convicting an off duty Chicago Police Officer of an assault that caused serious injury and then sentencing this officer to five years imprisonment. In the “Findings of Fact and Order” issued by Judge Monica Ackley, she states that the Officer was “not the initial aggressor” and that, “it was reasonable under the circumstances to believe that harm might come to any one of the individuals standing outside on the street.” The latter quote addressed the actions of the 6’3”
220 lb. alleged victim and his 6’8” 245 lb. friend who was later arrested for Public Intoxication.
The fact that the officer did retreat [as is required by Iowa law] a significant distance after a barrage of threatening statements were made toward him and his friends, is acknowledged and “credited” by the Judge in her finding. But this retreat wasn’t enough for this Judge. She felt that the Officer should have done more even after, in her findings, the officer was “pushed at least two times, maybe three.” After retreating and being pushed, the officer felt threatened enough to strike the alleged victim one time which partly caused the alleged victim to fall to the ground and strike his head. The other contributing factor was that the “Findings” showed the alleged victim had a .27 blood alcohol level. When assistance was rendered to the alleged victim, he was found lying on
the ground “snoring”.
The alleged victim suffered no serious injury and was back on the University of Iowa golf team shooting low scores in no time. As a matter of fact, the alleged victim showed little interest in pursuing this case after the incident occurred. He only appeared once during the subsequent almost two year ordeal in the courts. His only appearance was on the day of his testimony. The victim’s father, a prominent Dubuque businessman, however, has not missed a court appearance and surprisingly was allowed to address the court with a self-serving statement on behalf of his son even though he lacked the appropriate standing to be heard.
The entire ruling by this county judge smells. The Fraternal Order of Police stands behind this officer and it is our hope that justice will prevail in the appeals process so that this young man is not forced to serve one day of this unjust sentence.
A legal defense fund has been established for Police Officer Michael Mette. All donations can be sent to:
The Michael Mette Defense Fund
c/o Northwest Community Credit Union
7400 N. Waukegan Road
Niles, Illinois 60714
Gallagher said, with a beating that caused severe injuries including two brain bleeds.
Gallager was the prosecutor, he stated that the damage done to the student was from a kicking and or stomping after he, the student, was on the ground. The judge bought it. End of case, file and appeal.
I agree with you. From what I understand, (haven’t read it since last week) the cop may have stolen something of his, too. A lot of cops feel above the law. He had to have really pissed off the locals, too, to have not had the kid dragged out to a field by the local cops and pummelled into submission, as cops are know to do on occasion.
And if you defend yourself from an assailant in Chicago, what do you get? Arrested, thrown in jail, and sentenced to prison.
No sympathy. He chose to serve a set of rules and is now being hoist on the same ones, albeit in another place.
Where can someone donate to the kid this punk cop pummelled?
Would not call this an unbiased report. LOL,
please cops are suppose to be above this type of baby shit, get real, is it going to hurt his man hood to walk away. We are not longer at the time of the OK corral. This cop went cowboy.
This cop got exactly what he deserved. John Kass is COMPLETELY misrepresenting reality. I live in Dubuque, and as much as I don't care for our local District Attorney, I do believe he was right to pursue this case in the manner he has. This cop is going to do 5 years because he earned it. It is remarkable the extent to which Kass mis-represents what happened. For example, he says the victim is the son of a big shot at a local truck company - what a crock! The kid's dad is an IT Director, for god's sake. Sure, a decent job, but it is like 5 or 6 levels from being a big shot.
Why should he have to walk away? My state says I can blow his brains out if he threatens my life and I can keep walking. It's called the "No retreat law". Specifically written to prevent this kind of loose prosecution.
The FACT is that Mette gave local law enforcement officers 3 different stories to explain the victim's injuries. His first claim was that the guy had fallen. I wonder how many folks in Chicago have accidentally "fallen" with this thug on the scene.
The FACT is the officer was drunk and out of control. He refused a Breathalyzer and was charged.
The FACT is, this thug of a cop stomped on the victim's head after he was knocked out - and that is according to a person that was in this cop's group.
Does your state have a law that allows you to stomp on some one's head after they are knocked out?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.