Would you press charges?

[jlangton]

There is absolutely no excuse for physical assault. Using the "I was drunk" excuse is old and worn out. If you cannot control yourself when drinking,then do not drink. If you insist on drinking when you know you have an issue,then you have to deal with the consequences.
JL

[Quick6]

I won't be wronged. I won't be insulted. I won't be laid a-hand on.
I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them.
- J. B. Books

What part do we not understand?

[CompVest]

Only you know the past, present, and how you want the future relationship to be with this person. This should be your guide as to what is the right thing for you to do.

[The Annoyed Man]

There is absolutely no excuse for physical assault. Using the "I was drunk" excuse is old and worn out. If you cannot control yourself when drinking,then do not drink. If you insist on drinking when you know you have an issue,then you have to deal with the consequences.
JL

I agree that there is no excuse for it. I also firmly believe that we must do what we can to protect ourselves. That is why I carry a firearm in the first place. My only challenge is, for those among us who are absolutely devoted to the teachings of Christ, to what extent are we willing to forgive the trespass if an erstwhile friend gives you a black eye, and to what extent are we willing to heal the relationship if we are willing to forgive. Nothing more, nothing less.

I would be mad as all get out if that happened to me. But I also know what I'm commanded to do by a far more righteous authority than my own. That's what I was trying to communicate.

[KBCraig]

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?

[bridge]

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

Regardless of the arrangement post hoc a crime has still been committed. If a thief steals my car and returns it two days later waxed and detailed doesn't change the scope of the original act.

[jlangton]

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

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. This person apparently has an issue with assaulting people when they've been drinking. If they did this to their "friend", then that makes them a danger to anybody and everybody. His actions would clearly justify the use of deadly force to protect one's self-he's lucky it wasn't somebody that was armed and willing to protect themselves.
JL

[glockowner]

I have been drunk many times with my friends over many years, no matter what we have never even thought of turning on eachother, not even a thought of it, not even once. These are my real friends, anyone else is an aquantance, I would have nailed him with it.

ps. He'll do it again. Good luck.

[Furyataurus]

I'd press charges. This "friend" could've KILLED you. He made a decision to attack you and he should take RESPONSIBILITY for it, ask the police what they plan to charge him with. If its Assault then its a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to 6 months in jail and a $4,000 fine, just because you were sent to the hospital doesn't mean the charge is going to be aggravated automatically. What was the extent of your injuries?


Never mind: Stitches, sore neck, negative on x-rays, wrist hurts, black eye, if he were to be charged it would be Assault, IMO.

[KBCraig]

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?

[Assassin]

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.

X2

[Nintao]

"Friendship is tested when it is time to share the burden"

I must say one of my closest friends who is on this forum and myself were not always friends. When we put aside our bad feelings we became very close (his son is one of my God-sons) and have been like brothers for 15+ years (although we have known each other for 30+). I know you obviously got into a heated situation, but if this happened between me and one of my close friends, we would sit down and work things out. We wouldn't try, we would work it out. Now if I had only been friends with this person for a year or so, then parting ways might be best, but certainly not with a lifelong friend.

[aardwolf]

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.

The state wasn't a victim? The same could be said for any assault or robbery (or if my friends and I hunted down and killed the robber.)

[scootergeek]

I could guarantee you that if the punch would have killed you the wifey would be pressing charges so why not you...

And yes the friendship is definitely over in my eyes...Done period.