Many people are wondering why the 43-year old Lockerbie resident, a financial investment advisor, has declined to speak to the news media or cooperate with police in bringing charges against high-profile lawyer and radio talk show host Greg Garrison after calling police to report an assault he alleged happened on the night of April 18. According to the man, he witnessed Garrison taking down a "Pence Must Go" yard sign around 10:30 p.m. in a neighbor's yard across the street from his townhouse in the 400 block of E. Vermont Street in the downtown Indianapolis neighborhood before Garrison got into his BMW sport utility vehicle with a female companion to drive away. Garrison, who was allegedly illegally parked in a "permit only" parking spot, yelled obscenities at the man before attempting to drive away. A confrontation between the two men allegedly took place in which Garrison threw the first punch. After a brief tussle in which Garrison's female companion became involved, Garrison drove away but not before the man took down his license plate number and called police.
The 43-year old financial advisor, who is my neighbor and someone with whom I've been acquainted for many years, apparently was unaware at the time of the assault the man who punched him in the mouth and ripped his shirt was Greg Garrison. It was only after he provided the man's license plate number and police checked the registration that he learned his assailant was Garrison. My attempts to talk to my neighbor about the incident met with no more success than earlier efforts by other reporters. Neighbors familiar with the incident tell me the man is fearful his business will suffer negative repercussions if he pushes the matter because of Garrison's power and influence in the community. I don't quite understand the logic, particularly since his version of events was supposedly witnessed by his wife, another neighbor and was all captured by a surveillance camera. Supporters of Garrison have filled the vacuum by unleashing a barrage of negative attacks on my neighbor, making him out to be the perpetrator. Out of respect for my neighbor, I will not mention him by name, but I'm not buying the idea that his business reputation would be harmed if he cooperated with police in the investigation of the case he initiated. That's just my opinion.
8 comments:
Name the guy. Why should he get to hide in a cloak of anonymity after besmirching Garrison's reputation?
Sometimes the best defense is a good offense. Garrison can be sued for battery and trespass, and if he lies about what happened and that defames your neighbor, a defamation claim can be made. Certainly, your neighbor has much to think about, and it is important to review the video and gather all of the facts before any lawsuit is filed. I hate to see someone get away with this kind of bad behavior just because he is perceived as powerful. Usually bullies are exposed as just normal folks when the fear is taken out of the picture.
Thanks for the follow-up report on this issue, Gary. I am one who continued to wonder the actual reasons the accosted Lockerbie resident refused to pursue charges he initiated against the perpetrator who turned out to be WIBC's own Greg Garrison.
As an adult out gay Conservative LGBT metro Indy person, I have little use and no respect for Greg Garrison due to (among other things) Garrison's inside connections to and participation in the completely corrupt Marion County [and State] Republican organiazations.
Garrison "earned" thousands and thousands of dollars over the years through his ties to crooked attorney Carl Brizzi and his numerous personal connections with other City agencies and "law enforcement"- an oxymoronic term if there ever was one.
In the former Constitutional Republic known as The United States of America, a person has a right to say and believe what a person wants to say and believe so I have no problem with Garrison proclaiming his often self-serving and hypocritical views and beliefs... although I find just about everything out of his face to be disingenuous.
For all attorney Greg Garrison's crony establishment Republican ties, I doubt an old goat like Garrison- who is in the sunset of a moderately successful attorney career- could ruin the Lockerbie residents' financial business... and to allow Garrison's CRIMINAL ACT go unpunished is to me just as "bad" as an attorney breaking the law in the light of day and witnessed by many. It is hard for me to defend the Lockerbie resident who was attacked by Garrison if that Lockerbie resident will not have a spine and stand up to an old bully who of all people should know better.
It is now time for "Garrision Must Go!" lawn signs and it is time the withered WIBC fire this nutjob who appears to refuse to follow the law he swore to uphold.
Garrison earned more than "thousands and thousands of dollars" from those civil forfeiture cases. He's a very wealthy man today, in large part, because he was allowed to pocket a contingency fee on a bunch of forfeiture cases against drug dealers, illegal gaming operators and other miscreants. Those cases could have and should have been handled in-house by government attorneys.
Gary at 10:04- Anon 9:49 here. You are absolutely correct; my comment about the "thousands and thousands" was intentionally low as I had no idea how much money this apparently corrupt attorney had, in effected, converted to his own pockets.
I know that the Democrat machine and its politicos are nefarious but my up-close-and-personal experience in the Marion County and State organizations showed me just how "worse" are the Establishment Republicans. I learned the hard way closely watching the corrupt David Brooks and Samantha DeWester [and other "R" so-called "leaders"] that it is NOT about a political philosophy of Conservative governance in the best interests of "the people" but rather politics is ALL about MONEY, POWER, CONTROL, and getting those three at any and all cost no matter how illegal or corrupt.
There's nothing illegal about the civil forfeiture actions in and of themselves. My criticism is directed at contracting with an outside attorney who is allowed to pocket very large contingency fees comparable to what one recovers in personal injury actions. That results in a lot of money that would otherwise be going into the government coffers going into a private attorney's pockets instead.
I believe the financial advisor is right to be frightened. Don’t we already know Garrison is a thug. People should be frightened of him. It may be slightly off topic, but I’m reminded of my good friend from high school, from a long long time ago, a very gentle, sweet guy. His father was a successful insurance man. And extremely religious. Kind of like Garrison. Always talking about Jesus and being an elder in the church and all. But this guy used to get behind closed doors at home and just intimidate and threaten and berate his kids and wife. And if you said a word back to him he’d slap you hard across the mouth. I thought he was terrifying. A horrible bully and mean. But in town he was considered a successful, god fearing man, and was respected. Ever since it has tainted my perspective of these kind of guys. I don’t know what Garrison is like in private. But this image of him beating the hell out of an innocent homeowner on the street in a fury after ripping a yard sign out of the yard and tossing it out into the street, it just brings back memories. These church guys can be very violent. And they do scare me. And I think the financial advisor is right to feel threatened. He should trust his instincts.
Anon 11:23 advocates the Neville Chamberlain approach to intimidation, threats, and violence based on his/her straw man story of prejudices about a childhood experience where one has nothing to do with the other. And we see where a timid, fearful approach led a World to scared to stand and defend itself.
We out LGBT metro Indy residents were told to shut up, be quiet, don't make waves lest you be berated, mocked, attacked, etc. Thank God we didn't follow the quisling approach Anon 11:23 advocates. We'd never have the political clout, the personal satisfaction of having a spine, and the ability to "be" and live as we can and do today.
Rather than shrink in fear, that Lockerbie financial advisor should have prosecuted. I am willing to wager the advisor's income and personal esteem would have increased not decreased. To allow a low life bully like attorney Greg Garrison to break the laws he swore to uphold and to run free is just not the thing to do. Period, end of paragraph.
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