Penn angered by Snyder sentence; files civil suitby Dustin Grove (grove@wsbt.com)
Ted Penn reacts angrily to the sentence given to David Snyder in court on Wednesday, September 3, 2008. (WSBT photo) SOUTH BEND — A former Roseland town council member will not serve time behind bars for beating up another council member. Multimedia A judge sentenced David Snyder to six months home detention for hitting council member Ted Penn last year. Snyder will also have to serve 300 hours of community service and a year probation. For the victim in this case, that wasn't nearly enough. “I’m totally disappointed,” Ted Penn said. "You beat somebody almost to an inch of their life and you get home detention? Hey, it's open season on beating people up." Penn says he's angry and still hurting nearly two years after being beaten up by former fellow council member David Snyder. It happened inside Town Hall January 5, 2007. As the judge announced Snyder’s sentence on Wednesday, an even angrier Penn got up and walked out. “Go out and beat somebody up and get home detention,” Penn said. “That’s all I've got to say.” Snyder faced up to a year in prison and a $5,000 fine. Instead, he got six months of home detention, a year's probation, and 300 hours of community service. Judge Jerome Frese told Snyder, “What you did was egregious. It was outrageous. I don’t think what happened justified for one minute physically going after Mr. Penn.” But the judge said Snyder already spent two days in jail and has no other criminal record. Just before he was sentenced, Snyder told the judge he was sorry. "I'm very sorry this incident did occur," he said. "I’d like to apologize to Ted Penn and the people of Roseland who I was elected to serve." “As he said to the judge, the entire event was embarrassing to himself, his family and to the people of Roseland,” said Snyder’s lawyer Ed Hearn. “I am so happy that there's no jail time!” Snyder added. As for Ted Penn, the battle with David Snyder isn't over. The criminal matter may be finished, but the civil suit has just been filed. "[I hope] I own their homes and own everything that they have — now and down the line," Penn said of what he expects from the civil suit. Snyder will also have to pay up $5,000 in restitution but the specific amount has yet to be determined. Snyder himself didn't do all that much talking outside the courtroom Wednesday. He mostly left that to his lawyer. Snyder was originally charged with two crimes, battery and felony intimidation. But the jury acquitted him of intimidation. Most PopularMore Good Stuff |
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