What a load of crap. I've never been one to give in to that excuse and it always annoys me whenever people whine it out. Most people were picked on once in a while, and some people were harassed to the point of it affecting them well into adulthood. I'm talking about the kind of thing that messes with your head and your self esteem. But what really bites it for me is stories like this one I'm getting ready to tell you about.
This week in Baltimore, 17 year old high school student Sean Johnson beat a classmate and fellow football teammate of his, in an altercation that can be described in a few different ways. The boy, 16 year old Darrien McDowell, was punched over and over in the face and head until he was unresponsive, then Johnson kicked him repeatedly in the head as he lay on the ground. This is all undisputed, because of course, someone, while they didn't try to step in and break it up, they did have the brains to pull out their damn Iphone and make a video. But that actually is great, because that's going to work against this kid, and I think he really needs more than a slap on the wrist for this. It isn't a school yard fight. This is one hell of a beat down. And of course, I'll link that up for you, please remember it is warned with the caveat it is graphically violent and probably NSFW.
So this is pretty bad, right? But to add insult to injury, today in court, the lawyer for Johnson says that the fight was over a stolen piece of football equipment [the video doesn't show that] and that his client "was bullied."
He says that his client was "over charged" and that a second degree assault charge would have been more appropriate. "If the video had never hit social media, we wouldn't be here today,and we have to stop protecting the bully. That's pretty much what this whole case is about." He didn't factor into his statement that his client has a record, for possession and was convicted for conspiracy to commit robbery with a deadly weapon in 2013. So, we're supposed to believe this kid was bullied and that drove him to beat up his team mate so badly that by more than one report, he was unresponsive and having seizures in a pool of his own blood when they finally were broken up?
I'm not buying it. Throw the book at this miserable little punk. It's sad that nobody tried to break it up, but I kind of get that. I can understand not wanting to get hurt. But this whole "I was bullied" crap? Nope. Charge him as an adult and follow through with correct sentencing.
