re: Update: Alleged Perp in custody: Garret James Ward of BR for 2nd Degree murder

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If you've never been in a street fight in your life then this mindset is completely understandable.

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The vast majority of people have never been in a streetfight because they're reasonable people. Not all of these are streetfights either. An Ohio State player vacationing in Florida got sucket punched by a Florida fan a few years ago and nearly died and it effectively ended his football career.

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A Largo man has pleaded guilty to felony battery for assaulting Ohio State football linebacker Tyler Moeller at a bar last summer.
Ralph Gray Decker did not speak at a court hearing today. His attorney, Sean McQuaid, says Decker has always expressed "a sincere level of regret and concern" for Moeller and apologized to Moeller's mother.

The 28-year-old Decker will be sentenced in August. He will pay $11,000 in restitution for Moeller's medical bills.

Moeller, who will play his senior season this fall, was attacked while on vacation with his family. He suffered a fractured skull and a serious brain injury. Moeller, who missed all of last season, has been held out of contact drills but has been participating.

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But according to multiple eye witness reports, Moeller never saw the punch coming and was caught completely off guard by it.

Tyler MoellerPerhaps it does matter whether Decker was provoked into throwing the “sucker punch” or not, but either way, when you see the pictures of Moeller at OSU’s media day with the staples still in his head, and then you see the smiling face of Gray Decker in his misdemeanor mug shot, it’s hard not to be more than a little angered and to want to see justice handed down to Decker. When you see Decker’s felony mug shot, he no longer looks so happy and smug. Perhaps he is finally realizing the severity of what happened and the damage he caused to another human being over something no more trivial than mere words. It’s something to think about the next time any of us find ourselves in a situation where heated words are being exchanged at a bar. You never know how you might alter the lives of those you are fighting with, and you never know the trouble you might find yourself in.

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Also, I would hope his friends would knight for him and assume there has to be more to the story. That is kinda what friends and family do........Which is why I never understood why so many people think the "dindu nuthin" thing is so funny or strange

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How many people are completely innocent when it comes to being charged with murder?

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I think a lot of it based on your friend looking like a complete chode.

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His mom's facebook has some pics of him looking like the cliche' fratboy, nice looking and confident.

I kinda hate on them kids and envy them at the same time. Hard to explain and harder to admit for many of us haters.

But, his mom is quite attractive. For real.

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What if the 60 year old threw the first punch? Serious question what would the law be for that?

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The law would be that once you put him down and he's no longer a threat you cease to harm him or you face the consequences.

And it’s prob time I leave this thread as it’s personal and not everyone will agree with me

Sad situation all around. The loss of life is obviously tragic and the details known thus far are appalling (if true). This kid's life is forever changed, all because of an incident he probably can't fully remember (not an excuse, I know). Very sad.

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not completely out-of-the-realm of continued self-defense. It depends on the circumstances.

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How so if he's no longer a threat?

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Will be interesting to see the 180 this thread does if the witnesses names are released, and their names are Jonesha'qa and Monesha'la and Arnold was indeed a black man himself

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I know exactly what block this happened on. It's an interesting part of New Orleans. Technically Lower Garden District but close to Central City. Next to two hotels that are nice, close to 5-6 restaurants and a convenience store. Also across the street from the most famous black nightclub (I don't know what else to call it, but except when Tulane has an event there, their cientale is 99 percent black). It's an area with panhandlers in the daytime because there is a lot of foot traffic and affluent people, but it isn't an overly residential area.

At night, especially late night, the main people who will see anything are the valet and security people at the Pontchartrain Hotel and the Clarion, as well as the employees of the convenience store, as well as all of the people leaving the expensive bar at the top of the Ponch and depending on the night, people at the black nightclub (Eiffel).

In general, I would say those types of witnesses, if sober or close to it, are very reliable.

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How so if he's no longer a threat?

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Temporary unconsciousness doesn't automatically mean not a threat.


If someone robs you at gunpoint and you knock them out and then kick them twice, no jury in America is going to convict you. An armed perpetrator will still be considered dangerous even if knocked out temporarily.


Not saying that this is what happened in the current case but self-defense is a fact-intensive process and you can't try to make broad-based rules to cover different situations.