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Words are Like Bullets
Written by Larry Roeder, Editor
2011-10-19

 

        What is another person’s reputation worth to you? Are you the type of person who waits for the facts before you make a decision, or are you the type of person who “shoots” from the lip at the first opportunity to jump on the verbal “beat-down” wagon of someone you may or may not like or approve of?
        For the last eight months, State Senator Bob Mensch had to live under the cloud of a summary offense of disorderly conduct for an incident that occurred on Interstate 78 in Berks County (see page A1 in today’s Town and Country for related story).
        In a story that appeared in the May 12 edition of this newspaper, we reported “In a case riddled with inconsistencies that are created in an incident of he-said-he-said, in a courtroom filled with reporters, District Justice Andrea Book of Bernville ruled that Sen. Robert Mensch was guilty.”
        We reported on the contradictions in the prosecution testimony, we reported the shock and confusion of those who attended the hearing and we reported that Judge Book was in the midst of a reelection challenge in a primary election just a few days away. Few in the media reported that.
        Yet, it was surprising how people chose to verbally hang Mensch and ridicule and condemn him for an act that he always maintained that “never happened.” Opponents of Mensch delighted as he fought for his innocence.
        But the hype of media exposure was gone when it came time for Mensch’s day in court last week. This time, with only two reporters in the courtroom (one of them from the Town and Country), the same case was presented by the same prosecutors and prosecution witnesses and the same inconsistencies and contradictory testimony was heard. You expect inconsistencies and contradictory testimony between the defense and the prosecution. That’s why we have courts to make decisions.
        But, the defense never got to present its case. The confusion, contradictions and unanswered questions were all part of the prosecution’s presentation.
        Armed with professional, expert evidence that the incident could not have occurred as the prosecution charged, the expensive defense lawyers never got a chance to present their opening statements or argue the case. The expert witness hired by the defense team never took the stand. And we never heard from the accused.
        That’s because immediately after the prosecution spent two hours presenting three witnesses, introducing four items into evidence and resting its case, Berks County Judge Thomas Eshelman read, directly from the Pa. Crimes Code, the charges leveled against Mensch. He then scolded the prosecuting attorney by saying that the prosecution has not presented any convincing evidence that this [violation] even occurred. Then Eshelman loudly announced “Not guilty.” Maybe they didn’t present any convincing evidence because there wasn’t any.
        Sen. Mensch had been vindicated. Those who followed the case closely from the beginning knew he would be. Many couldn’t understand why this was in court to begin with. 
Now those who fired the verbal shots that tried to put holes in Sen. Mensch’s armor will have to be content with continuing to attack Mensch’s reputation by shooting words that attack Judge Thomas Eshelman’s verdict.
        Before you fire off those verbal barbs, take the time to read all of the court documents and the Pennsylvania Crimes Code.    
        Remember, words are like bullets. Once you fire them you can’t pull them back.

 

 

 

 

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