I'll try to describe what happened at the bar, since his recent letters only talked about what happened after the incident:
Bill (not his real name) often dropped into a local watering hole in Brighton, for a beer and to play some pool. He had been in there before, but this time there were a number of strangers who didn't know there. One of these guys began to hassle Bill, obviously trying to start something. Bill left the bar and on the way to his car noticed a couple of the troublemakers following him. Bill pulled his jacket aside, showing the thugs his gun. They quickly turned and went into the bar.
The thugs reported to the bartender that someone in the parking lot had a gun and threatened them with it. Somehow the police got there before Bill left and arrested him.
He wrote to me right after the incident and told me what happened. I didn't hear from him until last month when he told me what happened:
======================Hi George:
Sorry for being out of touch for so long. Just wanted to let you know I will (finally) be returning the gi you lent me so long ago. It has just been sitting neatly pressed in my closet, but it has honestly, been the least of my concerns. Please let me know the address that you wish it returned to.
Figured you may be curious as to the net result of my legal difficulties in Boston. The courts, in their infinite wisdom, allowed me to plead no contest - as opposed to risking a court trial - to a reduced single charge of simple assault (from assault with a dangerous weapon - a felony) in exchange for four years administrative probation.
Administrative probation means that I just have to send a letter each month to let my probabtion officer that I have had no further run-ins with the law.
As for the person who attacked me; the person with the 5-page rap sheet of criminal convictions, including numerous convictions for assault, assault and battery and aggrevated assault... Nothing happened. Zero, zip, nada!
Ultimately, I was forced to file bankruptcy since I got fired from GE as a result of being charged and couldn't find work. I am now just keeping a low profile, investing and rebuilding my capital base.
You had expressed an interest in describing the situation on your website. You are welcome to, so long as my name and no specific references are used.
Just for the record, although I was a member and had contacted the President of the Braintree Gun and Rifle Club as this situation developed, I got no support whatsoever. No even a returned phone call.
I wrote to him and requested that he contact Panther and Van. Received this:
Frankly, I didn't know quite how to reply. (I mentioned how someone or group should have tried to help him) If there were resources available at the time that this was all going on, it would have been great to know about them then.
My attorney was ok, but not great. Was expensive and I don't really feel that he earned it. In my opinion, he did the absolute minimum that was required at every turn. But I made the best decisions that I could, given the information available. Have never had to retain a criminal defense attorney before, let alone, one who specializes in firearms related cases.
I still have the feeling that I may have been better off with the public defender, who did a reasonably good job, given the literally two minutes that we were afforded to discuss the matter, after being introduced at the arraignment hearing.