Here?s my story.
I was at a bar at the racetrack last week playing the ponies. There are a lots of TV?s showing all the different tracks. Some guy wants to change the channel on one of the TV?s. Not really a problem for me, but you can?t do it w/o a remote. The barmaids have the remote, but they are in no hurry to switch the channel for you. Anyway, I inform the guy of this. He ignores me and keeps trying to change the channel to no avail. I have a race about to start on the TV behind him, so I politely ask him to get out of the way until my race is over. He tells me to watch it somewhere else. However, no other nearby TV is showing that track. I ask him again. He tells me to go f*ck myself. I had a couple of beers in me and I didn?t take kindly to that. So, I got up from my seat and we grappled. I threw 1 punch and he went down. I knew I hurt him, so I stopped. When he got up he was bleeding all over the place. He started screaming and cursing at me (that he was going to sue me). There now was a table between us. He picked up a chair and threw it at me. I blocked it with my arm, but it hit an innocent bystander.
Security shows up as well as the police. They take the guy away in an ambulance. He threatens to sue me and to sue the racetrack numerous times. As the cops are taking my statement, numerous people come over and state to the cops that the other guy started it.
I did not get arrested, but I received a summons in the mail. I am charged with disorderly conduct (engaged in a mutual fight) and fined. I am assuming he got charged with the same thing.
My concern is what to do. I guess I am guilty of disorderly conduct, so I should plead guilty and pay the fine. However, if this guy sues me will pleading guilty be held against me? If he does sue me, do I have any defense?
One of the security guys at the track, who took my statement, told me they have the whole thing on videotape. They keep it for 30 days. I heard him offer it to the cops (who declined). I don?t know if the other guy knows about the videotape or not. Should I request a copy of the videotape?
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated
I was at a bar at the racetrack last week playing the ponies. There are a lots of TV?s showing all the different tracks. Some guy wants to change the channel on one of the TV?s. Not really a problem for me, but you can?t do it w/o a remote. The barmaids have the remote, but they are in no hurry to switch the channel for you. Anyway, I inform the guy of this. He ignores me and keeps trying to change the channel to no avail. I have a race about to start on the TV behind him, so I politely ask him to get out of the way until my race is over. He tells me to watch it somewhere else. However, no other nearby TV is showing that track. I ask him again. He tells me to go f*ck myself. I had a couple of beers in me and I didn?t take kindly to that. So, I got up from my seat and we grappled. I threw 1 punch and he went down. I knew I hurt him, so I stopped. When he got up he was bleeding all over the place. He started screaming and cursing at me (that he was going to sue me). There now was a table between us. He picked up a chair and threw it at me. I blocked it with my arm, but it hit an innocent bystander.
Security shows up as well as the police. They take the guy away in an ambulance. He threatens to sue me and to sue the racetrack numerous times. As the cops are taking my statement, numerous people come over and state to the cops that the other guy started it.
I did not get arrested, but I received a summons in the mail. I am charged with disorderly conduct (engaged in a mutual fight) and fined. I am assuming he got charged with the same thing.
My concern is what to do. I guess I am guilty of disorderly conduct, so I should plead guilty and pay the fine. However, if this guy sues me will pleading guilty be held against me? If he does sue me, do I have any defense?
One of the security guys at the track, who took my statement, told me they have the whole thing on videotape. They keep it for 30 days. I heard him offer it to the cops (who declined). I don?t know if the other guy knows about the videotape or not. Should I request a copy of the videotape?
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated
