2020 homicide ruled self-defense by Cook County judge

[Euler]

In this case, the lethal arm was a box-cutter. The law regarding use of lethal force in self-defense still applies.

 

CWBChicago

CWBChicago said:

Thomas Tansey was possibly being double-teamed and acted in self-defense when he brandished a box cutter that killed Kenneth Paterimos during a fight in Chicago's West Town neighborhood, Cook County Judge Alfredo Maldonado said as he acquitted Tansey on all counts Wednesday.

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"The State's argument was that [Tansey] brought a knife to a fist fight, which is true," Maldonado said, "except the fist fight was brought to [Tansey] first."

 

Tansey and Paterimos started arguing while they were inside Richard's, 491 North Milwaukee, late on February 21, 2020.

 

... "The bartenders had Mr. Tansey leave the bar," Maldonado recalled, according to a court transcript. ...

 

... "Mr. Paterimos ... was told to ... leave the opposite exit ... ," Maldonado said.

 

Instead, Paterimos went out the same door Tansey used.

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Tansey was on the ground and had his hands up to protect his face when a man named Lee Goss exited the bar and put his arms around Paterimos, who was on top of Tansey and hitting him, according to the judge.

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Chicago police recovered a blood-covered box cutter under a car tire near the fight scene, and Maldonado said he believed that was the weapon that caused Paterimos' fatal wound. ...

 

Goss "acted quite suspiciously" when police first visited him, Maldonado said. ...

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According to a filing made by Tansey's lawyers earlier this month, Goss "currently resides in Europe." ...

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But the judge said prosecutors failed to show Tansey's use of force against Paterimos did not qualify as self-defense.

 

"There was unlawful force that was threatened against Mr. Tansey. Mr. Tansey was not the aggressor. Now, the danger of harm to him was imminent," Maldonado found.

 

"The State's argument was that Mr. Goss was not a suspect but actually he was a good Samaritan. I don't agree with that. His presence out there is a mystery… [but] I think it becomes a situation where there is now two people out there that are possibly a threat to Mr. Tansey."

 

"And with Mr. Tansey, with Mr. Paterimos, and Mr. Goss all on the ground, I do think it was objectively reasonable for Mr. Tansey to have brought out that box cutter," the judge said.

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Maldonado then found Tansey not guilty on two counts of first-degree murder and released him from custody.

[JTHunter]

A judge from Chicago ruled this way??? 😲

Has H.e.l.l. frozen over?!?!? 🤔