A couple questions about reporting an assault...

A neighbor informed me last night that the individual living behind me (our apts are back to back) was assaulted by several assailants a couple nights ago. I was surprised because I never heard or saw a thing. The assault (according to my neighbor) was supposedly witnessed by another neighbor who told them about it.

This morning I went knocking on my neighbor's door because I wanted to get it straight from the horse's mouth and ask if it had been reported to LE. They wouldn't answer the door even though I knew they were home. I plan to try again later this evening.

In the mean time I decided to call LE myself and ask if anyone reported an assault on my neighbor... the reason being... was because I didn't think the victim would have reported it themself (for reasons I won't get into)... and I was actually wondering if the witnesses to the assault even bothered to report it.

I was surprised to learn that due to the Privacy Act... LE was unable to confirm or deny if an assault had been reported in my neighborhood on the night in question. The officer told me that they could share information with the media but could not share any information with a civilian.

Here is my concern. If there actually was an assault by several persons unknown on a neighbor... shouldn't the rest of us have access to the same informatiion that the media has access to? If not... why not??? Isn't everybody's personal security at stake here when local violance like this happens to a neighbor???

I want to hear from media people, legal people and LE on this subject.

If you were assaulted, would you want the people who did it to know all the facts the police have obtained so that he can better his case? its all hearsay at this point and they have to keep it on a need to know basis until after the judge hears the case.

(I was assaulted in my apartment by 3 individuals and the cops wouldnt even talk to me about the details until we saw the judge)


needless to say, most of the assalents got off scott free... they claimed they were defending themselves..... I was in the hospital for 4 days with a ruptured kidney and they didnt have a scratch... goes to show what a pricey chicago attourney will get you... -.-

edit to say... NEVER TRUST A PUBLIC DEFENDER TO PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS!

[edit on 5-7-2010 by sm0k3]

The privacy act is such that if you're not an involved party then you're not privy to the information and/or details surrounding such.

... for good reason, I might add.

You're not nor have been involved in or witness to the situation, therefore you're precluded from access to the same via the Privacy act.

Personally, I Value mine. (?)



On a side note:
Your concern(s) seem genuine and admirable.

I would not bother reporting it, police are not to bothered. The police will kill for there friends, but if you have no friends in police do not bother.

if it wasn't you or your family getting assaulted i would keep out of it. I'm sure if your neighbour wants to report it then fine but i wouldn't get involved. personally i wouldn't involve the police in anything but that's just me.

Your neighbor has a right to privacy themselves. It is up to them if they wish for you to know what happened if anything. That is the way it should be.

When a person does not answer the door it's obvious they don't want to be bothered.

I'd say whoever you spoke with from the authorities did the right thing.

Why is this on a conspiracy board?

Originally posted by Blaine91555

Why is this on a conspiracy board?

Probably for the same reason this is on a conspiracy board.





[edit on 5/7/2010 by Hedera Helix]

reply to post by sm0k3

needless to say, most of the assalents got off scott free

So that means two turned states evidence to nail the guy responsible. Yes/no???

reply to post by andy1033


If someone assaulted you... wouldn't you want someone to help you out???
Or would you prefer to be left in a heap... possibly dying???

reply to post by danielhanson420


It was a neighbor. If something violent happened to me I would hope someone cared enough to enquire... or check on my well being.

reply to post by 12m8keall2c

You're not nor have been involved in or witness to the situation, therefore you're precluded from access to the same via the Privacy act.

Personally, I Value mine. (?)

Then forgive me for looking the other way and leaving you to die.

I don't know. I'm a privacy freak, but I kinda feel the OP's point. This isn't a case of being nosy. It seems reasonable, even intrinsic, to expect to be privy to knowledge of one's personal living environment. How can one make decisions about the safety and welfare of one's self, possessions, friends and family without such knowledge?

I can certainly understand not broadcasting salacious details and innuendo, but it seems to me that if a crime occurred, that information should be available (and I thought it was) as a matter of public record. Perhaps that's the problem here ... the incident is still being investigated?

reply to post by Hedera Helix


Theres a difference in knocking on someone elses door "wanting to know what went on last night" and walking past someone laying beaten on the ground.

I hope you know the difference.

I think its a case of "mind your own business". If you witnessed it and feel the need to get involved thats great. Coming around after the fact asking questions is about the same as "rubbernecking" an accident site.

What if he slept with some guys wife and him and his friends came to whoop his ass?

Or maybe he went nosing around, asking questions about something that didn't involve him and in turn got his ass kicked.

I honestly can not see how this guy getting his ass kicked is any of your business unless he is a friend, which apparently he isn't.

I can understand certain situations warranting more information, I don't personally see this as being one of them.

The last time a guy came to my house wanting to know who was fighting and why, ended up getting punched in the face.

Just my opinion, don't take it personal.

Originally posted by Hadrian
I don't know. I'm a privacy freak, but I kinda feel the OP's point. This isn't a case of being nosy. It seems reasonable, even intrinsic, to expect to be privy to knowledge of one's personal living environment. How can one make decisions about the safety and welfare of one's self, possessions, friends and family without such knowledge?

I can certainly understand not broadcasting salacious details and innuendo, but it seems to me that if a crime occurred, that information should be available (and I thought it was) as a matter of public record. Perhaps that's the problem here ... the incident is still being investigated?

Then the least the officer should have said was that they couldn't release any DETAILS. Instead he refused to confirm or deny any assault ever happened. All I wanted to know was if it had been reported... which if it hadn't been reported... why the hell not??? because there were witnesses!!!

Originally posted by ThaLoccster
reply to post by Hedera Helix

 

The last time a guy came to my house wanting to know who was fighting and why, ended up getting punched in the face.

Just my opinion, don't take it personal.

This is precisely why many people would feel the need to know these things. Punching someone in the face, regardless of the question asked, is actually, to a lot of people, an unreasonable response.

Originally posted by ThaLoccster
reply to post by Hedera Helix

 

Theres a difference in knocking on someone elses door "wanting to know what went on last night" and walking past someone laying beaten on the ground.

I hope you know the difference.

I think its a case of "mind your own business". If you witnessed it and feel the need to get involved thats great. Coming around after the fact asking questions is about the same as "rubbernecking" an accident site.

What if he slept with some guys wife and him and his friends came to whoop his ass?

Or maybe he went nosing around, asking questions about something that didn't involve him and in turn got his ass kicked.

I honestly can not see how this guy getting his ass kicked is any of your business unless he is a friend, which apparently he isn't.

I can understand certain situations warranting more information, I don't personally see this as being one of them.

The last time a guy came to my house wanting to know who was fighting and why, ended up getting punched in the face.

Just my opinion, don't take it personal.

Yeah, well... guess what? I heard a ruckus this morning next to my bathroom (our bathrooms are back to back)... and for all I know they're now lying unconscious in the bathroom bleeding to death from internal injuries. So you can stick ur opinion where the sun don't shine... m'kay???

[edit on 5/7/2010 by Hedera Helix]

reply to post by Hadrian


It wasn't because of his questions so much as his refusal to understand what went on at my house was my business, and his refusal to leave my property. I said to him, he didn't see me over there asking who that guy was at his house while he was gone.

He didn't like me insinuating that his wife was being unfaithful, and shoved me. So I punched him in his face.

Needless to say, he wasn't too interested in goings on at my house anymore.

I don't typically punch people, much less for asking questions. But if you put your hands on me, the line has been crossed.

Originally posted by Hedera Helix

Yeah, well... guess what? I heard a ruckus this morning next to my bathroom (our bathrooms are back to back)... and for all I know they're now lying unconscious in the bathroom bleeding to death from internal injuries. So you can stick ur opinion where the sun don't shine... m'kay???

[edit on 5/7/2010 by Hedera Helix]

Like I said, nothing personal. Why come asking for opinions, if you are going to tell people to shove the ones you don't agree with?

The person could have just as easily dropped something, slammed a door, or bent his wife over in the bathroom. Maybe they just enjoy messing with the nosy lady next door.

If you heard a gunshot, screams for help, all perfectly reasonable. But every bump and you think they are bleeding to death in the bathroom?

I would so hate to be your neighbor.

Reminds me of a neighbor calling the police to my house due to a suspected abused child. I was around 14 and my mother worked nights. So here come these police about 11:30, wanting to come in saying they had reports a child was being abused in the house.

I respectfully told them that I was the only child in the home, and if I was abusing myself thats between me and god (lol). I tried to explain, what was most likely heard was the childlike whines of our tomcat wanting to get outside to cats in heat.

The looked at me in disbelief and the look a cop gives when they know you're lying. And began to say that they had to come in and check out the situation, even if I wouldn't allow it.

About that time the cat came to the door, wailing like kid with colic. The officers apologized and went on their way.

I guess the moral of the story would be. When you assume, you make an ass out of you and the police.

Theres a difference in being observant, and watching out for your neighbors and thinking because you heard a bump in the bathroom that they lie dying in the bathroom.

People have a right to privacy, respect it.

Originally posted by ThaLoccster

Originally posted by Hedera Helix

Yeah, well... guess what? I heard a ruckus this morning next to my bathroom (our bathrooms are back to back)... and for all I know they're now lying unconscious in the bathroom bleeding to death from internal injuries. So you can stick ur opinion where the sun don't shine... m'kay???

[edit on 5/7/2010 by Hedera Helix]

Like I said, nothing personal. Why come asking for opinions, if you are going to tell people to shove the ones you don't agree with?

The person could have just as easily dropped something, slammed a door, or bent his wife over in the bathroom. Maybe they just enjoy messing with the nosy lady next door.

If you heard a gunshot, screams for help, all perfectly reasonable. But every bump and you think they are bleeding to death in the bathroom?

I would so hate to be your neighbor.

Reminds me of a neighbor calling the police to my house due to a suspected abused child. I was around 14 and my mother worked nights. So here come these police about 11:30, wanting to come in saying they had reports a child was being abused in the house.

I respectfully told them that I was the only child in the home, and if I was abusing myself thats between me and god (lol). I tried to explain, what was most likely heard was the childlike whines of our tomcat wanting to get outside to cats in heat.

The looked at me in disbelief and the look a cop gives when they know you're lying. And began to say that they had to come in and check out the situation, even if I wouldn't allow it.

About that time the cat came to the door, wailing like kid with colic. The officers apologized and went on their way.

I guess the moral of the story would be. When you assume, you make an ass out of you and the police.

Theres a difference in being observant, and watching out for your neighbors and thinking because you heard a bump in the bathroom that they lie dying in the bathroom.

People have a right to privacy, respect it.

There are just alot of variables you're unaware of... and to share them for the sake of proving you wrong would be violating their privacy. So pardon me for writing you off as someone who enjoys banging into walls as they grope the dark.

[edit on 5/7/2010 by Hedera Helix]

If there were "unknown" variables that makes you think they are in danger, why bother even posting?

The more you explain, the fishier this whole situation sounds.

Still gives you no right to invade their privacy unless you believe they are in danger. And hearing a bump doesn't equate to being in danger.

This whole scenario is the epitome of nosiness. You heard from a neighbor who heard from another neighbor....

Typical apartment complex nosiness and gossip.

Did you see what the girl in 3E wore last night? Oh Em Gee it was so gawdy!

I still stand by my statements that you are most likely just being nosy. If there was a genuine concern for safety, especially based on "unknown" variables that you are somehow privy too (although you don't know the people well enough for them to answer the door for you, or explain on their own what happened). You would have just done what any rational person would do and thats alert someone on your own, not post on a conspiracy site no less.

And, I've given very possible rational explanations for a "bump" in a bathroom, and stated that people have a right to privacy. Now I'm someone who "likes to bang into walls while they grope in the dark". Hell I don't even know what that means, but it seems like a veiled attempt to call me an idiot just because I believe people have a right to privacy, and think you've gone overboard in your inquisition into these peoples personal life.

Nonetheless you wouldn't want people peeking in your windows "just to be sure nothing was going on".

People have a right to privacy, respect it and people in general. I didn't call you a nosy old lady who deserves to be punched in her nosy nose. Don't call me an idiot because I don't agree with your opinion.

I respect your opinion, and your right to it even if I think its wrong. I wouldn't call you an idiot because of that opinion. Even if it warranted it.

Respect, give it, get it.