TexasCHLforum.com

jlangton wrote:

KBCraig wrote:If the victim is made whole, why should the rest of us pay to lock up the assailant?

Hang on a second-using that train of thought...there shouldn't be anybody in jail.

For the most part, that's exactly right (speaking of victimless crimes, but let's not digress).

How many times do we see real crimes with real victims, and the perpetrator pays a "debt to society" via fines and imprisonment, while the person who was actually harmed gets nothing?

The goal of the justice system should be to restore what was taken from the victim.

This person apparently has an issue with assaulting people when they've been drinking.

I must have missed the report that he has any kind of history of doing this. I thought it was reported as a bizarre one-time event. So, saying he "apparently has an issue with assaulting people" is an unsupported characterization.

One of my best college friends, who is still a close friend 25 years later, once knocked the fire out of me while I was attending a party at his house. He wasn't drinking -- he was on pain medication from having his wisdom teeth removed a few hours earlier (and he really wasn't happy that his roommates were throwing a party).

Ten minutes later he was apologizing profusely. I wasn't injured beyond a sore jaw and bent glasses.

Things like that do sometimes happen in life. How many young men have been fast friends after a knock-down drag-out? How many brothers fought like roosters in a ring? Should charges be filed in these cases?

Afff_667 wrote:As usual, the entire story isn't known....but, I'd say press charges.

The state wasn't wronged here; "Texas" isn't due any restitution from the assailant.

The victim is due to collect his damages, something that isn't likely to happen if the assailant is spending a few thousand on a lawyer, plus time in jail and loss of income.

If the victim is made whole, why should the rest of us pay to lock up the assailant?

atxgun wrote:He has offered to reimburse me for my medical expenses.

Given this description would you have pressed charges, or not?

Your damages are covered by the medical expenses, and an award for pain & suffering if you wished to pursue this in civil court.

Criminal charges are for the state. The state wasn't a victim here, you were. So long as you are made whole (the likelihood of which decreases if your friend is prosecuted, fined, and jailed), the state has no stake in the matter.

Collect your damages. Leave the state out of it. And evaluate your friendship, or at least the circumstances under which you socialize with this guy.