Mark Sanchez Stabbed, Charged With Felony Battery

[River Dog]

Have you guys been following this story?

Former NFL quarterback and USC star Mark Sanchez faces an upgraded Level 5 felony battery charge stemming from a weekend incident in Indianapolis, Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said during a Monday press conference. Sanchez, briefly hospitalized with injuries from a stabbing, was initially arrested for battery with injury, unlawful entry of a motor vehicle and public intoxication.

A 69-year-old man stabbed Sanchez during the altercation, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by CBS News.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/mark ... -happened/

According to what I've read, Sanchez, apparently intoxicated, got into an argument with a 69-year-old truck driver over a parking spot that escalated into a physical altercation with both men suffering stab wounds. The area is loaded with security cameras and there were multiple witnesses, so there is no shortage of evidence. I don't want to jump to any conclusions, but so far, all the evidence points to Sanchez being the instigator.

It's hard to imagine how the argument began. Apparently, the driver worked for a cooking oil recycling company, was servicing a restaurant, and was in a loading/unloading dock area when Sanchez approached him. The driver first sprayed Sanchez with pepper spray and when Sanchez continued, the driver fearing for his life, drew a knife and stabbed Sanchez several times. The driver sustained a deep stab wound in his cheek that reached his tongue, along with other injuries, and is still hospitalized.

Sanchez was in Indianapolis as part of the broadcast crew for the Colts-Raiders game for Fox Sports and was suspended following his arrest Sunday morning.

[Aseahawkfan]

I saw some of the stories. Pretty nuts. Mark Sanchez may have screwed himself badly.

[River Dog]

I saw some of the stories. Pretty nuts. Mark Sanchez may have screwed himself badly.

Sanchez is damn lucky the guy didn't pull a gun on him as from all the information available, the driver had every right to fear that his life was in danger, and I know of a lot of truck drivers that carry a loaded gun just for incidents like this one.

Unless Sanchez has something else on his record, if this is his first brush with the law, I doubt that he serves any time for this. But he's destroyed his broadcasting career and is going to get sued for millions. He's 38 years old, so it's not like he didn't know any better. The driver was 69 years old and he's picking a fight with him. Pretty pathetic.

I'm wondering what the fight was about. Apparently, the argument started over where the truck was parked, but why would he try to break into the cab of the truck and attack the driver over that? Did he think the driver was committing a crime, that he was robbing the business? Running drugs? At least initially, Sanchez claims that he can't remember what happened. I'm wondering of Sanchez wasn't on something else besides alcohol that caused him to hallucinate.

[NorthHawk]

I think he was probably almost blackout drunk. People do stupid things when they get to that state, but if pepper spray didn't cause him to stop then maybe some other drug was involved.

[River Dog]

I think he was probably almost blackout drunk. People do stupid things when they get to that state, but if pepper spray didn't cause him to stop then maybe some other drug was involved.

Yeah, you think of PCP when a person is able to overcome conditions that would incapacitate a normal person. It would also explain how he could hallucinate, falsely think that the truck driver was somehow a threat to him.

This is a really said story. Sanchez was a very successful sports broadcaster, and as a long-time professional football player, must have accumulated a substantial amount of wealth. You have to hope that he can recover from this and go on to live a normal life.

[c_hawkbob]

Watched an interview with the old dude from his emergency room bed, he was absolutely afraid for his life and was IMO 100% justified. They also showed security cam footage (there were several cameras active in that ally), Sanchez was trying to run wind sprints, probably to "sober up" enough to drive, and the old guy was just doing his job collecting grease when Sanchez tried to get him to GTFO. They didn't show much of the actual confrontation but the cop they were talking to said it was all pretty well documented on video. Sanchez will do time.

[River Dog]

Watched an interview with the old dude from his emergency room bed, he was absolutely afraid for his life and was IMO 100% justified. They also showed security cam footage (there were several cameras active in that ally), Sanchez was trying to run wind sprints, probably to "sober up" enough to drive, and the old guy was just doing his job collecting grease when Sanchez tried to get him to GTFO. They didn't show much of the actual confrontation but the cop they were talking to said it was all pretty well documented on video. Sanchez will do time.

Yeah, that aligns with what I've read and heard. But if Sanchez's record is clean and this is his first offense, he might get off with a suspended sentence so long as he agrees to successfully go through rehab.

No matter what the outcome of the criminal charges/trial are, Sanchez is going to get his ass sued off or face a big out of court settlement. And his broadcasting career is toast. This was one big butt fumble.

[Aseahawkfan]

Looks like Sanchez took the knife and stabbed a 69 year old man. I think he may do time unless he's got friends who can get the court system to help him. Even so, he'll probably get sued for a lot of money.

There seems to be an endless number of athletes or former athletes that do something to destroy themselves.

[River Dog]

Looks like Sanchez took the knife and stabbed a 69 year old man. I think he may do time unless he's got friends who can get the court system to help him. Even so, he'll probably get sued for a lot of money.

There seems to be an endless number of athletes or former athletes that do something to destroy themselves.

It sure seems like that. But I'm not sure if the frequency of athletes/former athletes destroying themselves is any better or worse than the general public.

There's no question that Sanchez is going to fork out a ton of money over this. The old man has not only sued Sanchez, but he's also sued his employer Fox Sports. I don't understand how they have any kind of liability in this unless they sponsored an event where Sanchez got drunk.

As a rule, first time criminal offenses, even violent ones, don't draw prison sentences. The goal for Sanchez's defense lawyers will be to convince the judge that there is very little chance of his re-offending, and at 38 years old, if he hasn't any priors, they can make a compelling argument that this was an anomaly and not some sort of pattern of behavior.

That doesn't necessarily mean that I feel that he shouldn't serve time. It's a pretty heinous crime when you attack an elderly man 30+ years older than you with the intent to do bodily harm.

[Aseahawkfan]

It sure seems like that. But I'm not sure if the frequency of athletes/former athletes destroying themselves is any better or worse than the general public.

There's no question that Sanchez is going to fork out a ton of money over this. The old man has not only sued Sanchez, but he's also sued his employer Fox Sports. I don't understand how they have any kind of liability in this unless they sponsored an event where Sanchez got drunk.

As a rule, first time criminal offenses, even violent ones, don't draw prison sentences. The goal for Sanchez's defense lawyers will be to convince the judge that there is very little chance of his re-offending, and at 38 years old, if he hasn't any priors, they can make a compelling argument that this was an anomaly and not some sort of pattern of behavior.

That doesn't necessarily mean that I feel that he shouldn't serve time. It's a pretty heinous crime when you attack an elderly man 30+ years older than you with the intent to do bodily harm.

Can you stab a dude and not do time? Can you sell that when it's on video?

You would think famous, wealthy athletes not destroying themselves doing obviously stupid things would be far less than the general public. They are public figures making millions off being public figures. One of the requirements is don't do stupid things that cost you millions of dollars. Yet we see nearly every year a few athletes that can't manage it. It boggles my mind the number of famous people, especially athletes, burning their golden ticket in public and costing themselves millions.

Can you imagine someone said to you, "Riverdog, you will be a multimillion dollar famous athlete. You'll make millions broadcasting. All you gotta do is not be a fricking idiot doing utterly stupid things and getting caught for it. Don't publicly cheat on your wife doing insane sexual acts. Don't stab, beat, or kill anyone. Don't get caught with underage girls. You know. really stupid crap that not even regular people do much. And you'll make millions."

And you can't even manage not to do it. It's so dumb I can't imagine it.

[4XPIPS]

Another MAGA bonehead, I hope Sanchez gets significant jail time for his actions.

[trents]

Sounds like he might have substance abuse problems. Maybe this incident will result in him getting the help he needs. Or maybe CTE?

[River Dog]

Sounds like he might have substance abuse problems. Maybe this incident will result in him getting the help he needs. Or maybe CTE?

That's why I think that there's a good chance that Sanchez doesn't serve any time for this. If his lawyers can convince the judge that this was a one time event and that he is not likely to reoffend and if they commit to a rehab, then I could see the judge suspending the sentence.

There's a lot of other factors that could play into this. If Sanchez is able to convince the court that he is sincerely apologetic for his crime, that he's committed to getting himself straight again, throw himself at the mercy of the court, then the judge may be very lenient in how he sentences him. If he appears arrogant and defiant, then the judge might throw the book at him.

Personally, I think that Sanchez should serve at least a moderate amount of time as he did inflict some serious wounds on his victim, that and I think it would be detrimental for the public to get the impression that the court favors wealthy professional athletes, that if it were you or me, we'd be eating off a tin plate. I'm just saying not to be surprised if he ends up not actually serving time in a bona fide prison.

[River Dog]

Mike Florio has a take about the liability that Sanchez's employer, Fox Sports, may have in this case:

Sanchez’s motivations could subtly sway his eventual testimony on key facts relevant to the question of whether Fox knew or should have known about a potential propensity by Sanchez to become intoxicated and instigate conflict. Or the question of whether Fox provided alcohol to Sanchez at a Fox-arranged (and/or Fox-funded) team-building event. Or the question of whether Fox should have arranged for Sanchez to get back to his hotel, given his apparent state of inebriation.

Whatever the specific issues, it’s always better for a company that has been sued to be aligned with the employee at the heart of the case. If Fox cuts Sanchez loose, he has no incentive to help the broader effort to protect the corporate balance sheet. (Indeed, he could become motivated to shift as much blame as possible to Fox, if he’s no longer collecting a Fox paycheck.)

Fox has said nothing about Sanchez’s employment status. There’s a chance Fox won’t.

https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootba ... ame-lineup

The stories I've read indicate that Sanchez was drinking at a bar, meaning that it was not at a company sponsored event. And IMO, it's almost impossible to prove that Fox Sports knew or should have known about his propensity to get drunk and start a fight, especially since Sanchez has been employed by Fox for just 4 years, and that just during football season.

IMO I don't think Fox is liable whatsoever. The victim's attorneys are almost certainly going to get a percentage cut out of the settlement, so why not sue the employer on the theory that if you throw enough $hit on the wall, some of it might stick. Fox is probably just playing it safe by not firing Sanchez or not suspending him w/o pay at this time. IMO we've seen the last of Mark Sanchez on any nationally telecast NFL games. They're not going to risk the potential backlash by putting a guy that is almost certainly guilty of attacking and severely injuring an innocent 69-year-old man by putting them on one of their telecasts.