Attempted murder isn't what it used to be

[Angel Eyes]

Eric Clanton, the "professor" and Antifa thug who assaulted some folks with a bicycle lock, pled "no contest" to ONE misdemeanor count and gets 3 years' probation:

https://www.berkeleyside.com/2018/08/08/eric-clanton-takes-3-year-probation-deal-in-berkeley-rally-bike-lock-assault-case

A former East Bay college philosophy professor who was charged with four counts of felony assault with a deadly weapon, causing great bodily injury, has taken a deal resulting in three years of probation for an attack at a Berkeley protest last year, court records reveal.

Eric Clanton had been linked by police to violent assaults with a metal bike lock during a “free speech” rally in Berkeley on April 15, 2017. Before his arrest, Clanton had been “outed” online, on the website 4chan, as someone who used a bike lock to strike a man in the head. The assault was captured in a video clip (below) that drew widespread attention and anger after it was posted on YouTube.

As this is Berkeley, the leniency does not surprise me, but that does not diminish my disgust at the outcome.

Best comment on the article so far:

Well, now that we know that there will be no serious consequences for attempted murder, I think we are about to see some real crap fly on the streets of berkeley. I know there are people cheering this as a victory for "their side" but this is how anarchy starts. It a sad day for all that this an happening in America. But hey, you'll still do six months for using a plastic straw.

[Northwoods]

This crap won't stop until at least a few of the antifa types get capped in self defense.  Though I bet any righteous shooter still gets ruined.   The process, after all, is the punishment in many cases.

[gunsmith]

that was a very cowardly sneak attack.
disgusting, but hardly surprising, I guarantee he would lose a fair fight with most guys his age/weight.
hopefully the sentence is only the beginning of his consequences

[RoadKingLarry]

that was a very cowardly sneak attack.
disgusting, but hardly surprising, I guarantee he would lose a fair fight with most guys his age/weight.
hopefully the sentence is only the beginning of his consequences

Civil suit seems the next logical step but can you get a change of venue for that?

[Ben]

This crap won't stop until at least a few of the antifa types get capped in self defense.  Though I bet any righteous shooter still gets ruined.   The process, after all, is the punishment in many cases.

Yup. This guy is a perfect example of an entitled ahole who simply needs the crap beaten out of him to teach him a lesson. Until that happens, he'll continue to think it's cool to do what he does, because there are no real consequences. Once someone does beat his ass, that guy will get punished, and this joker will be screaming the loudest for maximum punishment.

[Hawkmoon]

The worst element of this outcome is that ALL felony charges were dropped/dismissed, and all he's guilty of is a single misdemeanor. He should have gotten at least one felony conviction on his record.

[brimic]

By failing to prosecute his crimes, the county condones his actions.

[RoadKingLarry]

The left and the antifa types seem to want violent anarchy.
I'm not particularly opposed to giving them a solid helping of what they are asking for.

[cordex]

Is this really that unusual?

The cops I know often joke that whatever they bust someone for the prosecutor will just accept a plea to aggravated jaywalking.  From what I can tell, prosecutors live and die by their win/loss numbers and even a weak guilty plea is a free win.  It is expensive and risky go to trial and if they can possibly avoid it they will.

[Perd Hapley]

By failing to prosecute his crimes, the county condones his actions.

Is this really that unusual?

The cops I know often joke that whatever they bust someone for the prosecutor will just accept a plea to aggravated jaywalking.  From what I can tell, prosecutors live and die by their win/loss numbers and even a weak guilty plea is a free win.  It is expensive and risky go to trial and if they can possibly avoid it they will.

Both are true, sadly.

[gunsmith]

by refusing a vigorous prosecution, they're setting the stage for vigorous self defense.

[RoadKingLarry]

by refusing a vigorous prosecution, they're setting the stage for vigorous self defense.

Which will likely be vigorously prosecuted persecuted.