The first-degree assault charges against a Washington College senior for an altercation with an off-duty state trooper, Daniel Baxter, have been dropped, but two misdemeanor charges remain.
Several witnesses to the fight at Washington’s Tavern on March 22 have come forward with first-hand accounts that contrast starkly with the charges filed by the Chestertown Police.
The charges filed in Kent County District Court against Anthony Martino, 22, a Washington College senior, “tells us the [police] are covering up for one of their own,” said a witness who saw Baxter, 29, assault Martino repeatedly with his fists.
“The cop was built and obviously knew how to fight,” a witness said. “He was also pretty drunk.”
Witnesses were confounded that Baxter was not also “charged with assault or at least put on suspension” until the final results of an internal investigation conclude.
Witnesses said the fight started when Baxter reacted to a comment made to his girlfriend by Martino and then verbal exchanges led to Baxter pushing and shoving Martino.
“Martino got hit pretty bad,” another witness said, “The cop was definitely dominating and was hitting [Martino] like someone with [training].”
Baxter had the upper hand and “at one point was on top of [Martino] punching him repeatedly” until patrons, mostly students, stepped in to break it up, said a witness who asked for anonymity.
The police charges also state that “no one was sure whether they were breaking it up or not,” but the doorman told the Spy that patrons, mostly students, had the two men separated when he went to see the commotion.
A witness identified as Patron-3 said Martino did not throw the first punch while the two men were on the dance floor, which contrasts sharply with statements made by Baxter’s girlfriend that Martino threw the first punch that started the fight. Another witness also told the Spy that Martino did not strike first.
The police account of Martino’s demeanor, after he threw the final punch that ended the fight, is completely out of character with what many students have told the Spy over the last few days — that “he is not at all interested in violence.”
“This is a guy who quit the lacrosse team because his roommate was hazed,” a witness said. “This is the last guy who wants anything to do with hurting anyone.”
While the two men were separated near the front door, Martino threw a punch that sent Baxter to the floor. A witness said that Martino looked frazzled before and after he threw the punch.
“He had just been beaten pretty hard by [Baxter] and I guess just acted out of emotion,” a witness said.
But the police report said that Martino laughed as a he left, “Martino then walked out laughing.”
Statements from the doorman and the bartender said Martino was doing anything but laughing.
“He was definitely not laughing, he looked scared,” the bartender said.
“I was the last one to see [Martino] to the door and he was not laughing,” the doorman said.
David Wright, the owner of Washington’s Tavern, said the trooper had a greater responsibility to diffuse the situation.
“You had a 22-year-old student and a 29-year-old veteran of the Maryland State Police, and the onus was on the officer to avoid all instances like this,” Wright said.
Wright said he learned from staff that Martino and Baxter had always been “well behaved and polite customers.”
“This is an unfortunate incident by two people whom we never expected to engage in this kind of conduct,” Wright said. “These two men would be well served if they put this behind them and moved on with their lives, and stop inflicting any further damage on each other.”
CPD Chief Baker responded that judgment should be reserved until the investigation is complete.
“The investigation is ongoing, and thus I can make no specific comments” Baker said. “But I will assure you that this case has been, and will continue to be, investigated in a professional, fair, and impartial manner. To reach conclusions now, or make judgment upon either party until the matter is resolved through the legal system, is certainly not prudent.”
Stephan Sonn says
For a college student of means, a bar fight is soon history.
Maybe not so for the trouper.
I wish there were a way to end this thing as quietly as David Wright suggests.
D. Brown says
To S. Sonn
What does “means” have to do with it?
Stephan Sonn says
And why do you have to ask?
Stephan Sonn says
What does having a badge have to do with it?
joe diamond says
Stephen,
Looks like we need more adults in the room. If Tony the student was beaten as described there would still be some damage…it would have been obvious…any lawyer would have had a few pictures made. Then we have no charges brought against the cop? And the warrant with bail in DE?
Now come witness. Wonder if there were also warrantless searches of dorm rooms or apartments while in “hot pursuit?”
It gets deeper. Both sides are pretty shrill.
Joe
joe diamond says
Stephen,
Maybe we could hear more from David Wright. When this real estate was called Andy’s you might get the odd complaint about doing crossword puzzles at the bar while the evening news on. Patrons were asked not to sing along with the entertainment or have business meetings on open mike night. I once had a beer at the bar with John Toll and listened and listened and listened.
Now we have fights and cop visits. Ink and planning time are expended over the nomenclature of a sign down the street. I am so confused? Is there progress here?
Joe
Stephan Sonn says
There is enough Kafka in this stuffed shirt be-in
for a New Yorker magazine cartoon cover.
joe diamond says
Stephen,
Cosmopolitan!
Joe
Petey Bestmom says
Congratulations to the Spy here for a super reporting job. Continuing to dig, seeking out sources, and refusing to accept the canned press release given out. This is the kind of investigative reporting work that we need more of. And has been sorely lacking from other local publications for a long, long time. Well done!
Please have a reporter cover the preliminary hearing in District Court. Unless the state drops the charges, there may be a great deal more information to come to light at that time.
As for you Mr. Sonn – just exactly what do you mean that you wish there was a way to end this thing quietly?
Would you like to see a cover-up? Is that what you mean? Of course Mr. David Wright would like to see it all go away quickly. Rather bad for business, isn’t it? To parents of prospective WC students reading of this, hmmm, might make them re-think sending their kids to a place like Chestertown where off-duty state troopers behave badly. Hmmmm.
joe diamond says
Hey Petey,
This is still a pretty small deal in a pretty safe town. I could name a few places where college kids fight with locals and after the guns and knives come out the college kid goes home in a box. Sometimes the cops wade in with sticks. Both sides have a story to construct………cameras sometimes fix these things.
Get some popcorn and let this one roll on,
Joe
Stephan Sonn says
Joe, this thing might have just done a fade to black but no.
Some of the players and themes have not emerged yet.
but if it turns into an anti cop thing nobody wins.
Jason Price says
The other side to this argument is maybe some of the rich parents who send their kids to WAC should teach them how to behave before they let them out of the house and onto the Eastern Shore. I went to WAC, and many of the well-to-do students who attended seemed to lose what sense of civility and decency they had once alcohol was involved.
Lisa Jones says
I am glad to see that the truth is finally coming out related to this matter. I was appalled to see the original story that allowed such slanderous facts to be printed about a college student, about a case that is still far from being resolved. This student was initially pursued and beaten by a state trooper, which is incredibly alarming on a number of levels. It is inappropriate for this behavior from someone who’s occupation is to protect the peace – to be drinking in an establishment, initiating and then engaging in a physical altercation with a student over seven years his junior is unacceptable for any man, and should be immediate terms for suspension, investigation and charges against him, in particular, as an officer of the law.
Further, I am glad to see that students have finally chosen to come forward. The actions of other police on the night in question were intentionally threatening and menacing – they gathered and dispersed to a number of known college student houses in a manner akin to an angry mob. Due to this, many students expressed their fear that coming forward with the TRUTH would result in their being further targeted by the police and singled out for the remainder of their time in Chestertown.
In addition, printing a story with such false claims against Anthony puts him in a terrible position for the rest of his life. Is the Chestertown Spy not aware of the permanence of things printed on the internet? While there is no question that both parties made some inappropriate decisions by using violence, the allegations made against Anthony will be available for anyone to view after a simple Google search of his name. Future employers and mentors will be provided with a story containing a number of falsehoods, possibly condemning his future due to the dishonesty and abuse of power of the police force.
I hope that the opinions of the bartender and doorman, respected members of the Chestertown community, and the brave and truthful Washington College students that have chosen to come forward will paint the real picture of what happened. Anthony, a kind and friendly college student, was aggressively pursued by an off duty state trooper who failed to identify himself, and then an angry group of off duty police officers dispersed to find him in Chestertown while he fled in fear of his own safety.
Thank you to the reporters and students who have come forward with the truth, and to the Chestertown Spy for finally printing a more realistic version of the story that was initially so twisted and misconstrued. I hope that the original story printed will be removed for the sake of this boy’s future.
Petey Bestmom says
Lisa, thank you for stepping forward and providing additional details. Particularly one bit of information that was left out of previous reports –
“and then an angry group of off duty police officers dispersed to find him in Chestertown while he fled in fear of his own safety.”
This is indeed troubling on several levels. If these officers that entered bldgs on the campus acted like an “angry mob” as you describe it raises even more questions. Did the police chief, or other in command that night, notify these off-duty officers and request their response to participate in the search? Or did the word spread of what happened in the bar and these officers acted on their own to jump to the aid of a fellow lawman? Wasn’t the identity of the student known immediately after the incident from witnesses in the bar? Why the sudden urgency to apprehend ?
In assault cases where one or more of the parties involved are gone – is quite common to file with the commissioner. A criminal summons is then issued. Are we being led to believe that this fight should be considered extremely serious because Trooper Baxter was knocked unconscious? Is that so unusual for someone who may have been intoxicated? If he was flown to Shock Trauma, was his B.A.C. checked at the hospital? Will Chief Baker be announcing that to the press and public?
You, the bartender, the doorman and others who have been cooperative and truthful are to be commended. No matter the outcome of this sordid mess, at least you will always know you did the right thing when it was needed.
Stephan Sonn says
Emily Latilla lives.
Stephan Sonn says
Lisa, I did some media restoration for your family a few years back.
Your kind words regarding these events is admirable.
On the other hand both of these young men behaved badly.
Stu Cawley says
Lisa: While if all you relate is true (& my GUESS is that it probably bears at least as much — if not considerably more — resemblance to the actual events as the statement made by Baxter’s girlfriend), I sympathize w/ your outrage, I have to point out that you’ve misidentified your target.
The Chestertown Spy is a news organization. It reported a news story. Its readers want to be kept abreast of breaking news. Like most news stories, everything ALLEGED to have occurred is attributed to SOURCES for said information, true or not. The initial story was written w/ what ltd info they had at the time. The Spy & its writers were not alleging that the version of events it printed was true. As soon as more witnesses came fwd, The Spy was quick to share their accts, again in an impartial manner. It was REPORTING, NOT ALLEGING anything other than what had been stated & by whom. It wasn’t “twist(ing) and misconstru(ing);” even if Trooper Baxter & his girlfriend may have been.
Your use of the phrase “slanderous facts” shows a poor grasp of what slander is. Facts cannot slander or be slanderous. You might want to check the definitions of “defamation,” “libel,” & “slander” (respectively “a false statement communicated to another person that damages someone’s reputation,” “communicating a defamatory statement by writing or picture” [that being my guess as to your intention], & “defamation by oral or spoken communication”).
How much news would there be if all news outlets refrained from printing anything that might negatively impact the subjects of their stories?! That’s why reporters are expected to practice due diligence & check their facts & reliability of their sources, which is what they did by asking people who knew both participants to share their assessments of their characters & histories. The Spy isn’t conducting the criminal investigation; they’re reporting on it. All adults know that “you can’t believe everything you read” & that one’s actions often have consequences. Getting into verbal arguments w/ other bar patrons can certainly lead to undesirable outcomes for any & all parties (&, if, as all witnesses thus far seem to be suggesting, both Baxter & Martino engaged in escalating verbal antagonism, both of them — but particularly the officer — should have thought better of continuing down that road), as both of them should have known. They each, it would appear, bear some responsibility for the ensuing events, however you want to apportion the lion’s share.
As you say, this is “about a case that is still far from being resolved,” & I’m confident The Spy will continue to provide us w/ information as it becomes available. Don’t, in the meantime, confuse what The Spy is reporting w/ what the participants & witnesses are stating.
Stephan Sonn says
As for how I feel about these events.
Drunken brutality becomes neither of these gentlemen.
There should be a plea bargain or a not guilty for whoever is charged.
In this life provocation is a given and some even do it right here in forum like this.
Stephan Sonn says
By the tone of some posting would have this handled
like sudden death survival show
called my favorite drunk.
Pray that no one posting here is a juror.
Ron Moore says
If you want to be fair about this –
It was a bar fight. Charge the college kid with assault, charge the officer with assault with a deadly weapon. His superior training provided a distinct advantage in a physical confrontation, and the possibility of him killing the student was quite real. I respect additional reprecusions for assaulting an officer, but he was out of uniform, drunk, and according to the information in the article, lied to investigators, and convinced his girlfreind to do so as well.
If the boy’s parents have a lot of money, you’re going to see some an amazing show of civil litigation. If the state has any sanity, they’d terminate him on the spot. The liability for employing an officer like that would be absolutely ridiculous from a legal//insurance standpoint.
Stephan Sonn says
It occurs to me again that neither of the young men involved in this incident are well served by cheer leading
not to mention a tainted atmosphere for jury selection. And in that vein I am totally unimpressed
with the tone Mr Pety Bestman takes with people like myself, who are after all worthy of the same respect given him.
Gerry Levin says
Another example of police thinking they can get away with anything. Thank goodness there were witnesses.
Stephan Sonn says
Excellent resolution but certain peer personality tipes want to have a class war over this.
Stephan Sonn says
I did not mean to praise this post by Mr Laqvin It was intended for Ron Moore.
Stu Cawley says
Stephan: You seem to be the only one here trying to ignite a class war, by continually implying that if Martino has money he can avoid any lingering effects from this incident & that Baxter should be spared any repercussions. While I agree that having money greatly increases one’s chances of obtaining a favorable outcome in our judicial system, I dispute everything else you imply & state.
1. I suspect strongly that Martino will carry w/ him for the rest of his days effects from this. He may or may not end up w/ a criminal record, but I doubt very much he’ll forget what transpired & how his behavior may have contributed towards it. If (I repeat: IF) it turns out that Baxter & his girlfriend misconstrued the actual events & if other police officers did in knee-jerk fashion take a fellow officer at his word & conduct a search in a hostile, guilty-until-proven-innocent manner, then I’m sure he’ll remember that as well. While it’d probably be useful to him to remember to watch his words & behavior in bars, it’s a sad statement that he should also remember how our police can close ranks & persecute anyone who challenges them (again, IF that is what happened).
2. I don’t think you need to worry about tainted jurors. I’ve had the privilege to serve on jury duty here on several occasions & have been invariably impressed w/ my fellow jurors’ desire to uphold the law rather than mete out whatever punishment they personally deem fit.
3. Martino is a college student, part of a demographic typically living away from home for the first time & apt to exuberantly explore all the freedoms that affords, a demographic not historically known for self-restraint (read up on student behavior in medieval German university towns or Oxford, England if you don’t happen to live next to a student house where one can witness activities like backyard drinking, placing of foreheads on upright baseball bats, & spinning until unable to stand). I am in no way excusing his behavior if he contributed to the initiation or escalation of the fight, but his youth does help explain it.
4. Baxter, on the other hand, is a PROFESSIONAL peace officer. Part of his professional code of ethics, as I understand it, requires him to act appropriately even when off-duty. From what we know thus far, it would seem that he had plenty of opportunity to avoid a fight. He’s also a PEACE officer. Engaging in verbal & physical altercations in drinking establishments doesn’t exactly contribute to a peaceful society, does it? He should have known & kept in mind the potential professional repercussions facing him for either initiating or allowing himself to be drawn into any kind of barroom altercation, verbal or physical. Just as Martino should be held accountable for his actions w/ the extenuating circumstances of his youth, Baxter should be held accountable for his but w/ the added onus of knowingly (or drunkenly, which is no excuse) violating his professional vows.
5. As a mostly law-abiding citizen, I haven’t had extensive interactions w/ police. On the handful of occasions when I’ve been stopped in my car, I can say that every state trooper I’ve dealt w/ has been unwaveringly professional & polite, whereas it was much more hit-or-miss w/ town police (across the country, not just C-town); some were fine, others were sometimes bizarre & scary. I’ve only met two (both local cops, I believe) socially, one of whom was hitting relentlessly & obliviously on one half of a lesbian couple I was friends w/ whilst regaling w/ us all w/ tales of how much he “loves it when things get physical on the job,” the other of whom splashed me w/ a beer he accidentally knocked off the bar, graciously bought me one by way of apology, conversed pleasantly w/ me, knocked over his 2nd beer, & immediately told the bartender that I was the one who did it. I realize two isn’t exactly a statistically significant sampling, but half a century of following the news tells me that many guys are attracted to police work for the power it gives them over others & that they are no more immune to the vices of dishonesty & violence than the rest of society & may even be more susceptible to them, either as a result of those perks of the job or from daily contact w/ the seedier side of society. I agree that “police have a legitimate role in society” (& suspect that it’s impossible to avoid attracting some applicants perhaps a bit too interested in lording power — emotional or physical — over others), but that doesn’t mean they should be given carte blanche. Because they wield extra power, they have extra responsibility. I will wait to hear what comes out in court, but I would not be surprised to learn that Baxter bore at least as much blame for the fight as Martino.
Carol Lyn Cameron says
Excellent points, Mr. Cawley. In mulling over all this I, too, had much the same thoughts concerning the two principals who are the center of this case. Altho my recent predictions for the NCAA turned out to be dead wrong, perhaps these based on some years of paralegal exp. will stand up better:
1. The first-degree assault charge will be dropped. After all, there were no weapons involved, and a 4 (a) charge is pretty much intended for those type assaults in Maryland. True, a very bad beating inflicted upon a victim with the use of fists only can rise to level of first-degree. But from everything we were told Trooper Baxter did not suffer any serious injury or wounds. If the charges relate to the allegation that the victim was “thrown into a wall” that could be first-degree for the intent of causing serious bodily harm. But, then, there is the problem of witnesses who may say it was the trooper who initiated the fight, and the student’s action of throwing him into a wall was self-defense.
2. Mr. Martino’s attorney will no doubt be assembling quite a bit of evidence and witness accounts that he will be discussing with the prosecutor assigned to this case prior to the District Court preliminary hearing. If the defense is able to demonstrate the state’s case is very weak that the defendant was the aggressor, and the evidence will tend to show that he was defending himself, not engaging in an un-provoked assault, the state is going to have a huge problem if it elects to proceed. The purpose of a preliminary hearing is for the judge to determine there is probable cause for the charge(s) The defendant may waive the hearing, but I doubt that will occur as it will automatically trigger setting a date for trial. As a senior, I assume Mr. Martino will be receiving his degree at commencement in May and would like to leave Chestertown. Permanently.
3. Ideally, an outcome of the state, defense and judge all agreeing to place the matter on the stet docket might be the best solution. After 1 (one) year, if the defendant has not gotten into any more trouble with the law, the case is officially dropped. Mr. Martino, or his attorney, will still have to apply for expungement, a very easy and routine proceeding that can be accomplished without the services of a lawyer, if he wants to keep his name free of any blemish that could follow him through life.
Stephan Sonn says
Ms Cameron
Yours is a constructive and informative reply.
Very well thought out and factual’,
What I particularly liked is th at that
you took no obvious side
and made no attempt to be defensive.
It seems that what you care about is an
expeditious and fair conclusion.
Stephan Sonn says
Mr Cowley
I come from a family of police at levels from chief Detective, beat cop, correctional guard and one who left the family in disgrace as an accused and probable thief. The next generation produced two lawyers , a Corporate financial officer and a college professor. Not once have I taken a pro-cop position here. I call it as I see it
Each of the parties to this bar room brawl has attributes and flaws. Being a person of means is a fact, for all that it may imply to some people. Wearing a badge and carrying a gun is a life choice. The fact is if you choose protest too much, perhaps maybe you need to examine your own prejudices as they seep through your arguments as easily as a sieve.
Your opinions about police are pure typecasting and quite visceral. I made no judgement about the young college student ever implying that he was the instigator. You are in no position to lecture.
As for my opening statement these two young men will fare in later life according to the take their respective peers.
And I stand by that. but another read of this situation by another post, not mine, speaks of a special barracks for officers involved in irredeemable controversy. This entire event is stupid and will probable be seen that way by peers of the young college student.
You blame the police just by the distribution of your opinions. Why is there such a need on your part prolong the agony?
Stephan Sonn says
Cue Joe Diamond
Stu Cawley says
Mr. Sinn
I assure you I am not anti-cop. I am truly grateful that there are folks willing to take on that socially vital but unpleasant job, just as I am w/ surgeons & plumbers. In the same way that surgeons hold positions of above-average responsibility & therefore are subject to above-average scrutiny of their behavior, both professional & personal (plumbers not so much, perhaps cuz there mistakes rarely prove to be fatal ones), so too are police officers.
My point, which I laid out quite clearly & which you attempt to skirt entirely (while obliviously admitting), is that Baxter CHOSE his profession & accepted all the restrictions on his future behavior that come w/ that choice. As you yourself state: “Wearing a badge and carrying a gun is a life choice.” Was anyone holding a gun to his head when he took that oath? Did he fail to read the fine print? Did he receive no training or job experience during his tenure to help him learn to diffuse tense situations, even though, as you say, “In this life provocation is a given?” Do you see no danger in allowing people w/ extraordinary powers over the rest of us citizens (carrying arms, being able to stop & question us at their discretion, etc.) to behave any way they like in public & then call on their special privileges to cover up, protect themselves, & deflect blame to others (Please note that I am not saying that this IS what happened, even though there is plenty of evidence that it MIGHT be what happened.). I’m sure that Baxter had way more training in hand-to-hand combat than Martino, & his specialized training could certainly have inflicted some serious & possibly even fatal damage.
“Being a person of means is a fact,” you say. Elsewhere you refer to Martino as “a preppy.” I’m somewhat taken aback that he’s willingly provided you w/ his & his parents’ W-2’s from the past several years & any/all of his college financial aid statements. You obviously have better sources than I do. Where have I once labelled Baxter “blue-collar,” “redneck,” or anything else? I have only referred to him as a police officer, which is a fact & a job & not to my knowledge some insulting, class-conscious slur. Yet you accuse me of typecasting & prejudice. How dare you? “Certain peer personality tipes [sic] want to have a class war over this.” Methinks you be that tipe.
You get to “call ’em like I see ’em,” but my “opinions about police are pure typecasting and quite visceral?” You yourself admit to having a relative who was an officer & “a probable thief,” but my personal encounters w/ two off-duty cops (one of whom admitted a love of violence on the job & the other of whom lied about a trifle & was perfectly happy to throw a citizen under the bus to protect his chances of continuing to drink), my dozen or so encounters w/ them while on duty, & a lifetime of following the news mean nothing?
You repeat ad nauseum that “this is a no-fault situation” and that “I wish there were a way to end this thing… quietly.” Nobody’s at fault?! Why should this appalling incident be swept under the rug? If I were to spend my hard-earned money to take my wife out for dinner at Washington’s Tavern (which BTW I wouldn’t, considering Mr. Wright to have committed a greater crime against the social life of this town than either of these sorry participants ever could), I should just expect to have two fellow patrons start beating each other senseless as part of the romantic ambience? These two, through their CHOSEN course of action, not only put themselves & each other in great danger, but others as well. That’s why assault is a crime. Assuming that both contributed to some degree to the initiation & escalation of the situation, I’d like very much for both to suffer a degree of punishment fitting their individual responsibility. My main point is simply that the officer had a greater degree of professional responsibility to avoid such a conflict & should thus suffer proportionately for his role, provided it doesn’t come out that he was entirely innocent, a mere victim & not an active participant.
“As for my opening statement these two young men will fare in later life according to the take their respective peers.
And I stand by that.” It’s easy to stand by statements that quite literally make no sense. I can do it, too. Grmbs5037dn5l67. I stand by that. Assuming that what you meant to say was something along the lines of “the lasting primary consequences for each of these participants will be determined by how their peers view the incident,” (& it’s by no means clear from your typically inscrutable writing style & lack of editing that that IS what you meant.) I’d have to agree w/ you & I have no problem w/ that. As I said in my earlier comment, I doubt very much that Martino & his peers will laugh this incident off as forgettable & “stupid,” whether or not he receives some punishment in court. If Baxter meets w/ professional censure in one form or another, he deserves it, as he should have known what he was risking when he engaged in first a hostile verbal exchange & then a physical one w/ a citizen in a bar.
Lastly, you ask: “Why is there such a need on your part [to] prolong the agony?” By my count, you’re commented 15x on this article, more than 3x that of the next highest. Who’s prolonging it?
Stephan Sonn says
Mr Lavin, take it from a seasoned liberal that is pure dogma.
The police have a legitimate role in societh and nothing is proved here yet.
Chris Crabtree says
At this point, I’m not sure that we can assume that any of the witnesses are credible. Can we truly rule out the possibility that they were covering for their buddy? I think it’s truly clumsy to back one or the other as of yet.
Witnesses need to be interviewed. The case needs to be investigated. The courts can determine what happened and hold those who need to be accountable.
joe diamond says
Chris,
That is where this one is. The next step that could come from this is an us-against-them atmosphere.
Good one!,
Joe
Stephan Sonn says
Joe,
Us against them bears bitter fruit
so I wonder what brought it on
or did the chickens just come home to roost?
Stephan Sonn says
Well done. This is a no-fault situation
donald sparks says
I certainly hope that cooler, better yet, smarter heads prevail in this situation. It’s a barroom fight between two young men who obviously had too much to drink. One is a state trooper, who has a lot to lose; and the other is a college student who I suppose is getting ready to graduate in a month whose future may be at stake. It seems to me that this has been a PR nightmare from the beginning. The Md. State Police has an image to uphold, Washington College has an image to uphold, and now that more and more is coming out it looks like the Chestertown Police now has an image problem in a time when the town and the college are supposed to be working together to be partners in the success of the town, whether it’s the waterfront, downtown business, or whatever else I may have missed.
I was told a long time ago by one of my mentors that there are three sides to every story. There is my side, your side, and somewhere in between is the truth. I don’t know whether we’ll ever find out the “truth”. Let’s put our egos and our pride aside and do what’s right for both of these young men.
Stephan Sonn says
So glad the spinners got purged out of this but what about the truth. Does it really matter?.
A peace officer and a preppy what an unlikely bit of drama , ut a posse and makeover campaign?
What is next, the musical? Time to walk this thing back and into chambers.
Stephan Sonn says
Here is a little not so friendly irony .
My friend John, once a history teacher
and now semi-retires like myself,
has been following these Washington Tavern events.
He has another spin on the flukes of typecasting.
He wondered how it was that people usually
aligned with law and order positioning
seemed so very critical of of police here.
And apparent liberals posting here were not,
This reminded me of the emergency room experience
my friend Victoria had in Baltimore last year.
It was bedlam. A gang fight went from street to hospital
with the wounded from both sides continuing the fights in the
wards, tearing down curtains tossing bed pans and worse.
Their families visiting also partook. One father, with his gun.
My friend recovering from anurism surgery in the over crowed hospital
was totally wired, tubed and hog tied, woke up to dad and the gun
that fell out of his pocket and on to the bed as they struggled
So she hit him with her bed pan.
This is a true story that relates to shifting alliances and type casting.
She pushes her new found bed mate off her with her good arm frees herself
and goes to a house phone on the near wall all the way harassed by family
wanting to sue her for hitting the limping now limping father.
Enter the police to restore order
and both gangs protested the police,
in common alliance. Which is to say,
allegiance trumps convention
so
Rick Valentine says
This is a great article.
Perhaps the Spy, along with the College, are the only two redeeming things about Chestertown.