Police officers, detectives and criminal defense attorneys all have stories that must be seen to believed. Whether it the conduct of a person arrested for driving under the influence, or the way a person tells a story to proclaim their innocence, there are no shortage of “you have to be joking” stories when it comes to criminal law.
The story of a man who was stabbed in the back (literally, and probably figuratively) falls into this category. According to an AP News report, the man awoke after a night’s sleep with pain his back. He reportedly told his brother that he did not know why his back hurt (since he ostensibly slept all night). His brother found a knife protruding from his back.
The report did not identify the type of knife or any other significant details about the weapon. Police officers who interviewed the man reported that he had been involved in a fist fight at his home and did not realize that he had been stabbed. He apparently had been drinking when the fight occurred. According to police, he was particularly uncooperative in revealing additional details about the altercation.
The knife wound apparently was not life-threatening, as he expected to be released from the hospital by next week. As shocking as the ordeal was, we cannot help but to notice how he was reluctant to talk to the police about the altercation. There are a number of reasons behind him not choosing to talk to them, but it is a poignant reminder of a person’s right to remain silent.
Source: ABC News.com, “Police: NJ man didn’t know he had knife in back,” December 9, 2013