Don't mess with this retired Marine!

[TruckDriver]

I thought this is a cool story...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070627/ap_on_fe_st/odd_pickpocket_pummeled_8;_ylt=AjQALTyyZZ.AQb37cjAz_VsE1vAI


Ex-Marine teaches pickpocket a lesson

Tue Jun 26, 11:11 PM ET

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Bill Barnes says he was scratching off a losing $2 lottery ticket inside a gas station when he felt a hand slip into his front-left pants pocket, where he had $300 in cash.

He immediately grabbed the person's wrist with his left hand and started throwing punches with his right, landing six or seven blows before a store manager intervened.

"I guess he thought I was an easy mark," Barnes, 72, told The Grand Rapids Press for a story Tuesday.

He's anything but an easy mark: Barnes served in the Marines, was an accomplished Golden Gloves boxer and retired after 20 years as an iron worker.

Jesse Daniel Rae, the 27-year-old Newaygo County man accused of trying to pick Barnes' pocket, was arraigned Monday in Rockford District Court on one count of unarmed robbery, a 15-year felony.

Barnes said he had just withdrawn the money from a bank machine and put it in the pocket of his shorts before driving to the Marathon service station and Next Door Food Store in Comstock Park, a Grand Rapids suburb.

He remembers noticing a patron acting suspiciously, asking the price of different brands of cigarettes and other items. While turned away, Barnes felt the hand in his pocket, so he took action.

"I guess I acted on instinct," he said.

Kent County sheriff's deputies said the store manager quickly came around the counter. The three of them struggled through the front door, where two witnesses said the manager slammed Rae to the ground and held him there.

"There was blood everywhere," said another manager on duty, Abby Ostrom, 25.

Barnes was a regional runner-up in Golden Gloves competition in the novice and open divisions before enlisting in the Marines in 1956.

He lived most of his adult life in Comstock Park with his wife, Patricia, before recently moving to Ottawa County. The couple have three children.

After retiring as an iron worker, he now works part-time as a starter at a golf course.

Barnes said he'd probably do the same thing again under the same circumstances, if for no other reason than what he would face back home.

"I wouldn't want my wife to give me hell for lettin' that guy get my money," he said with a smile.

[69DodgeCharger]

Now that's good news if I ever heard it. Hopefully the dirtbag suffered some lasting injuries to his face and ego in the process.

[bull]

Ah yes! Beatin' of da week.

[dads_69]

Right on!! Did the same thing in a Burger King a few years back myself. Guy trys to get people to give him money, says he needs gas. I offered to buy him 5 gallons of gas, he said give me the cash. I said nope, as I turned around, he cheap shots me in the back like a little bitch he was. I stuffed him in the neck w/a 1-2 punch spun him around, grabbed his shirt and belt buckle and threw him out the doors. I got free food, cops showed up and didn't press charges against me!
Mark

[golden73]

Awesome, simply awesome.

[71ChallengeHer]

That's great. The POS got what was coming to him.

[TUFCAT]

I like it!!!......never mess with the old guys!! - - That guy gets the TUFCAT award (uhm, its a statue of a cat with a helmet)  ha ha  

[dkn1997]

Ah yes! Beatin' of da week.

That's it!! New thread!!! New thread!!! it could live forever like the chics on chargers thread...

[pettyfan43]

Now THAT is like the best story I have seen all week!!!!!!!!!!

[last426]

I disagree.  The Marine should be charged with assault.  It is not legal to use violence against a possible perpetrator of a property crime.  Using this logic, any kid who pockets a pack of gum could be thrown down and beat by the store manager.  Or your teen age daughter could be beaten by the security guard for taking a tube of lipstick.  Nope, not in my country.  It's good to know that, whether or not prosecuted legally, the victim will be able to sue the Marine for much more than the three hundred dollars. Kim

[mikesbbody]

sounds like a good old fashioned ass kicking to me! I love it 

[BMOTOXSTAR]

Ah yes! Beatin' of da week.

That's it!! New thread!!! New thread!!! it could live forever like the chics on chargers thread...

[PocketThunder]

I disagree.  The Marine should be charged with assault.  It is not legal to use violence against a possible perpetrator of a property crime.  Using this logic, any kid who pockets a pack of gum could be thrown down and beat by the store manager.  Or your teen age daughter could be beaten by the security guard for taking a tube of lipstick.  Nope, not in my country.  It's good to know that, whether or not prosecuted legally, the victim will be able to sue the Marine for much more than the three hundred dollars. Kim

Are you serious?

[69DodgeCharger]

I disagree.  The Marine should be charged with assault.  It is not legal to use violence against a possible perpetrator of a property crime.  Using this logic, any kid who pockets a pack of gum could be thrown down and beat by the store manager.  Or your teen age daughter could be beaten by the security guard for taking a tube of lipstick.  Nope, not in my country.  It's good to know that, whether or not prosecuted legally, the victim will be able to sue the Marine for much more than the three hundred dollars. Kim

Good luck finding a jury that will convict him. I'm saying it was a sexual assault as the perp tried to grope his privates and he defended himself. That's how I see it. The fact that there was money in that pocket is irrelevant. It is still an assualt of some degree. I just lost every bit of respect I ever had for you. Your knowledge of the law seems to be vast, you're reasoning is questionable at best. I don't have kids but comparing shoplifting to this incident is apples and oranges. maybe in your world the criminal gets the benefit of the doubt but here in northern Michigan they usually get their ass kicked......and rightly so. The perp can chalk it up as a "learning experience" I'll bet you a dollar he has priors.

[Todd Wilson]

I disagree.  The Marine should be charged with assault.  It is not legal to use violence against a possible perpetrator of a property crime.  Using this logic, any kid who pockets a pack of gum could be thrown down and beat by the store manager.  Or your teen age daughter could be beaten by the security guard for taking a tube of lipstick.  Nope, not in my country.  It's good to know that, whether or not prosecuted legally, the victim will be able to sue the Marine for much more than the three hundred dollars. Kim

Spoken just like a true slime ball attorney.  Lets sue the person being robbed  so we can line our own pockets!!!


Todd

[Charger1973]

I disagree.  The Marine should be charged with assault.  It is not legal to use violence against a possible perpetrator of a property crime.  Using this logic, any kid who pockets a pack of gum could be thrown down and beat by the store manager.  Or your teen age daughter could be beaten by the security guard for taking a tube of lipstick.  Nope, not in my country.  It's good to know that, whether or not prosecuted legally, the victim will be able to sue the Marine for much more than the three hundred dollars. Kim

Yeah I really dont have any other response to that other than the obvious 

I can only hope you dont seriously believe that...  Stick your hand in my pocket and see what happens. 

[69DodgeCharger]

"Spoken just like a true slime ball attorney.  Lets sue the person being robbed  so we can line our own pockets!!!"

How true I wanted to say it myself but I don't know Kim personally so I refrained. In my view the first step of the judiciary process was an overwhelming victory for justice. Hopefully the remaining steps will be equally as just.

[Troy]

C'mon, only in California would a jury convict a 72 year old man for beating up a guy trying to rob him. As often as the elderly are victims it's good to know that some are still more than capable of surprising the bad guys. I'd be willing to bet this isn't the first time that guy pulled something like this (but probably the first time he got busted in the act). Odds are good that he wouldn't have even been arrested in most places. The criminals know that they won't even get a slap on the wrist if they are caught for such a "minor" crime so there's no incentive for them to stop (no matter how despicable it is to steal from someone on a fixed income). Here in the Midwest - especially out in the country - the police and courts are more inclined to follow the "reap what you sow" and "cleansing the gene pool" philosophies. I like it that way.

By the way, people who have tried stealing from me before have been ordered to pay by the courts but I've never seen a dime. Surprise! They're criminals. Why should a non-criminal pay even if they lose in court? Fair is fair right? If there is a lawsuit, I bet the entire community would help the older gentleman pay his debt but not a one would donate a nickel to buy the thief a band-aid. If he does end up having to pay I'd make sure the whole neighborhood (usually downtown) knew that the guy would be walking out of the courthouse with a check. Let's see how he likes getting robbed. 

Troy

[Big Lebowski]

I disagree.  The Marine should be charged with assault.  It is not legal to use violence against a possible perpetrator of a property crime.  Using this logic, any kid who pockets a pack of gum could be thrown down and beat by the store manager.  Or your teen age daughter could be beaten by the security guard for taking a tube of lipstick.  Nope, not in my country.  It's good to know that, whether or not prosecuted legally, the victim will be able to sue the Marine for much more than the three hundred dollars. Kim

   What color is the sky in your world? What if a different robber went to your home planet everyday & and removed your wallet from your posession? The reason I ask is because I'm guessing you wouldn't DO anything about it. Just say I surrender, please rob me, please take my $300 cash from my pocket.

   I've had a gun pointed at my head before, that's not going to happen again. I once felt the reality of being robbed & beaten, and the bad guys were never caught. So untill YOU know what that's like, you should just go on being a jerk who cheers on the scum bags who commit these acts. You don't know shit about the "real" world pal.

[ck1]

You guys ever herd about the guy who owed the pawn shop?  He would put anybody down who ever tried to rob his store...............been awhile that I herd this story but it was amazing about robbers and gang members who tried to rob this store just because it was a challenge to try to take out the owner.........think they had to put him in protection program just to keep robbers and gang members from trying to rob him because of the challenge factor...........

[last426]

You guys need to stop playing quien es mas macho and address the meat of my comment.  Using this logic, any kid who pockets a pack of gum could be thrown down and beaten by the store manager.  Or your teen age daughter could be beaten by the security guard for taking a tube of lipstick. 

Answer this: what is the difference between a kid taking a pack of gum and the store keeper beating him or a guy attempting to get a wallet and the guy beating him.  The fact remains, it is not legal to use force to combat a property crime.  I am surprised that most everyone seems to advocate anarchy and are against the laws of this country. 

The laws are as they are, if you want to change them, contact your representative.  But don't complain when your grandmother comes home with a couple of black eyes because she wrote a fraudulent check (another property crime).  It gets complicated, huh? 

As an aside, I am adamantly against the death penalty mainly because the state can make unreversable mistakes (not because heinous criminals die).  That being said, I would personally kill someone who killed a loved one.  As a lawyer it is easy for me to make the distinction.  In like manner, if asked if I feel good the Marine did what he did?  Yep.  But do I want lawlessness like that rampant?  Nope.  And the only way to prevent the rampantness (is that a word) is to have legal consequences for the Marine's actions.  Hey, now that your blood is boiling, it is a good time to check out my hemi at www.marlia.com  Kim

[Big Lebowski]

    Ya ok, which cowardly yellow belly San Fransisco (ban bottled water) sissy boy ($400 Breck girl haircut) representative do I contact? Like I said...You encourage violent criminals to rob old folks, because slimeball liberal lawyers like you will help the scum bags profit from their "un" American criminal acts. It is slimeballs like YOU who are destroying MY country.

[dads_69]

I can see this thread getting tossed out. In the country we live in today. Its every man woman and child (almost) for them self's when it comes to protection. Cops, they'll get there when they get there. No offence to cops here, I wanted to be won myself. My dad was and three of my good friends are also. As it looks here by a certain fellow member, that person seams to think the criminal is Innocent till prov-en guilty. Great, another scenario where the bad guy wins even though he committed crime on my turf and I defend myself and yet get the axe! Its obvious people don't respect elders like they used too, now they prefer to take what they have earned due to greed and hatered etc....
What a damn shame....
Mark
For whats it worth, I would have kicked the living crap out of the guy as well, he deserved it.

[Rocky]

You guys need to stop playing quien es mas macho and address the meat of my comment.  Using this logic, any kid who pockets a pack of gum could be thrown down and beaten by the store manager.  Or your teen age daughter could be beaten by the security guard for taking a tube of lipstick. 

Answer this: what is the difference between a kid taking a pack of gum and the store keeper beating him or a guy attempting to get a wallet and the guy beating him.  The fact remains, it is not legal to use force to combat a property crime.  I am surprised that most everyone seems to advocate anarchy and are against the laws of this country. 

The laws are as they are, if you want to change them, contact your representative.  But don't complain when your grandmother comes home with a couple of black eyes because she wrote a fraudulent check (another property crime).  It gets complicated, huh? 

As an aside, I am adamantly against the death penalty mainly because the state can make unreversable mistakes (not because heinous criminals die).  That being said, I would personally kill someone who killed a loved one.  As a lawyer it is easy for me to make the distinction.  In like manner, if asked if I feel good the Marine did what he did?  Yep.  But do I want lawlessness like that rampant?  Nope.  And the only way to prevent the rampantness (is that a word) is to have legal consequences for the Marine's actions.  Hey, now that your blood is boiling, it is a good time to check out my hemi at www.marlia.com  Kim

Sorry Kim,
    This didn't happen in CA, and you should realise that there is a marked difference between property, and property that is on or about the body.  What you are debating is the concept of the level of threat.  Personally, I like my personal "bubble" and if anyone should happen to violate that bubble, well then, we should just agree to leave it up to the local prosecuters to decide just who should be charged with what crime.  By the way, if your daughter tries to search or take any item from my person without legal cause, she will be subject to any of my reactions which are a direct or indirect result of my previous military combat experience.  Maybe people should teach their children "right from wrong" before someone else does.

  Regards,
     Rocky

[Mike DC]

 
IMHO this particular robber deserved the beating.  (I only wish there had been some security cameras to get it on tape!  That clip would've been hilarious!)


I can theoretically see what last426 is arguing, but this case isn't exactly the one to enforce that issue over.  IMHO this particular robber deserved the beating.

Besides, reaching into someone's pocket is really violating their personal space much more than lifting a tube if lipstick or a pack of gum. 
I view this situation a little differently from someone swiping $300 in bills off the counter in front of the old guy.