I just wanted to do my laundry! - Page 2

Les Auten · March 8, 2005, 02:14 PM

Heres a link
http://www.tcadvertiser.com/

I did a search for Bulla Haas
that brought up this story from WNEM TV 5 the local CBS affiliate

New Details: Tuscola County Teen Death

Written By: Sam Merrill

Edited By: Sam Licavoli II

Some witnesses say eighteen year-old Andrew Haas provoked the Cass City man who killed him with one punch at a party last fall, according to prosecutors. "Some blame Haas as being the instigator," said Mark E. Reene, Tuscola County 's prosecutor, who wants John P. Bulla sent to jail, not prison.

Bulla, twenty, who lives near Cass City, pleaded no contest Monday February 28th, to attempted involuntary manslaughter in connection with the Nov. 13, 2004, death of Haas, a Cass City High School senior who lived in Ubly.

A plea of no contest is not an admission of guilt, but is treated as such at sentencing. Reene said an "exhaustive investigation" by Tuscola County Sheriff's Department detectives Glenn Skrent and Patrick Woidan involved interviews with numerous witnesses. But the opinion of forensic pathologist Dr. Kanu Virani proved key to the case, Reene said. The punch that struck Haas in the head was not really characterized by Dr. Virani even as a violent blow, according to Reene. "It was simply the angle the blow came from, and the victim's reaction."

Reene said Virani's opinion is that Haas "was not braced for the blow" when he was punched at an outdoor party in Tuscola County 's Elmwood Township . "It was simply the reflex of the head and neck, due to the blow" that caused Haas' fatal injuries, Reene said. The prosecutor said Bulla didn't intend to kill Haas, though witnesses told police the two men had argued at the party before

"That night, the two went back and forth, verbally," Reene said. "Whenever you have a situation like this, you'll have witnesses with various alliances on the side of the victim and on the side of the defendant, and you have to sort through the bias to find out the truth." Bulla had been charged with involuntary manslaughter, which carries a maximum sentence of fifteen years in prison. But Reene allowed Bulla to plead no contest to the lesser charge, which carries a maximum sentence of fi

Reene plans to ask Tuscola County Circuit Judge Patrick R. Joslyn to sentence Bulla to no more than one year in jail, combined with a term of probation. The court hasn't set a sentencing date yet.

carolinaflats · March 8, 2005, 02:47 PM

You did just fine in my opinion. Drawing your gun should always be the last resort. Jerks like that are usually harmless, just like to make a bunch of noise.

38SnubFan · March 8, 2005, 03:41 PM

I think you did the right thing by having the gun available as a last resort, but excersing proper judgement and restraint and retreating from the area of conflict. Only advice I could give for the future is to contact local law enforcement and file an Incident Report/Criminal Complaint ASAP after it occurs.

More importantly though: you walked away alive and unharmed, which is the ultimate and ONLY goal of any confrontation.

-38SnubFan

jlwatts3 · March 8, 2005, 06:27 PM

I had a laundry room incident at my last apt. complex. I was living in Oakland and going to school at Berkeley. Anyways I found a crackhead trying to steal my clothes from the dryer. I startled him and he spun around and dove out the window (that he had called through) and ran down the block.

jburtonpdx · March 9, 2005, 07:11 AM

"Anyways I found a crackhead trying to steal my clothes from the dryer. I startled him and he spun around and dove out the window (that he had called through) and ran down the block."

to bad the laundry room was not on an upper floor...

LAK · March 10, 2005, 03:53 AM

The first thing that comes to mind is; what would you have done if he had made a beeline for you, and made a grab for your shirt? In otherwords, an "assault", but nothing that could be construed as an imminent deadly threat?

March 8, 2005, 03:41 PM	#28
38SnubFan Senior Member Join Date: July 15, 2004 Location: Harrisburg, PA USA Posts: 118	I think you did the right thing by having the gun available as a last resort, but excersing proper judgement and restraint and retreating from the area of conflict. Only advice I could give for the future is to contact local law enforcement and file an Incident Report/Criminal Complaint ASAP after it occurs. More importantly though: you walked away alive and unharmed, which is the ultimate and ONLY goal of any confrontation. -38SnubFan __________________ Sure, you can have my gun...BULLETS FIRST! "People sleep peacefully in their beds at night only because rough men and women stand ready to do violence on their behalf." -A token of appreciation for the good cops. "Good cheer and steady aim are always fashionable." "Will...if need be!" ΜΟΛΩΝ ΑΛΒΕ!

March 8, 2005, 02:14 PM	#26
Les Auten Member Join Date: September 11, 2004 Location: Cass City MI Posts: 87	Heres a link http://www.tcadvertiser.com/ I did a search for Bulla Haas that brought up this story from WNEM TV 5 the local CBS affiliate New Details: Tuscola County Teen Death Written By: Sam Merrill Edited By: Sam Licavoli II Some witnesses say eighteen year-old Andrew Haas provoked the Cass City man who killed him with one punch at a party last fall, according to prosecutors. "Some blame Haas as being the instigator," said Mark E. Reene, Tuscola County 's prosecutor, who wants John P. Bulla sent to jail, not prison. Bulla, twenty, who lives near Cass City, pleaded no contest Monday February 28th, to attempted involuntary manslaughter in connection with the Nov. 13, 2004, death of Haas, a Cass City High School senior who lived in Ubly. A plea of no contest is not an admission of guilt, but is treated as such at sentencing. Reene said an "exhaustive investigation" by Tuscola County Sheriff's Department detectives Glenn Skrent and Patrick Woidan involved interviews with numerous witnesses. But the opinion of forensic pathologist Dr. Kanu Virani proved key to the case, Reene said. The punch that struck Haas in the head was not really characterized by Dr. Virani even as a violent blow, according to Reene. "It was simply the angle the blow came from, and the victim's reaction." Reene said Virani's opinion is that Haas "was not braced for the blow" when he was punched at an outdoor party in Tuscola County 's Elmwood Township . "It was simply the reflex of the head and neck, due to the blow" that caused Haas' fatal injuries, Reene said. The prosecutor said Bulla didn't intend to kill Haas, though witnesses told police the two men had argued at the party before "That night, the two went back and forth, verbally," Reene said. "Whenever you have a situation like this, you'll have witnesses with various alliances on the side of the victim and on the side of the defendant, and you have to sort through the bias to find out the truth." Bulla had been charged with involuntary manslaughter, which carries a maximum sentence of fifteen years in prison. But Reene allowed Bulla to plead no contest to the lesser charge, which carries a maximum sentence of fi Reene plans to ask Tuscola County Circuit Judge Patrick R. Joslyn to sentence Bulla to no more than one year in jail, combined with a term of probation. The court hasn't set a sentencing date yet.

March 8, 2005, 02:47 PM	#27
carolinaflats Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2005 Location: Charleston,SC Posts: 165	You did just fine in my opinion. Drawing your gun should always be the last resort. Jerks like that are usually harmless, just like to make a bunch of noise.

March 8, 2005, 06:27 PM	#29
jlwatts3 Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 2004 Posts: 150	I had a laundry room incident at my last apt. complex. I was living in Oakland and going to school at Berkeley. Anyways I found a crackhead trying to steal my clothes from the dryer. I startled him and he spun around and dove out the window (that he had called through) and ran down the block.

March 9, 2005, 07:11 AM	#30
jburtonpdx Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2005 Posts: 267	"Anyways I found a crackhead trying to steal my clothes from the dryer. I startled him and he spun around and dove out the window (that he had called through) and ran down the block." to bad the laundry room was not on an upper floor...

March 10, 2005, 03:53 AM	#31
LAK Junior member Join Date: May 14, 2002 Posts: 2,251	The first thing that comes to mind is; what would you have done if he had made a beeline for you, and made a grab for your shirt? In otherwords, an "assault", but nothing that could be construed as an imminent deadly threat?