BC-School Fight-Death,
Punched in school fight, man dies 8 years later; prosecutors mull new charges against ex-classmate


WEST BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- A man left comatose after a school-yard fistfight eight years ago has died, and police said they want new charges filed against the former classmate who hit him.

Zuhair "Steven" Pattah, 25, died Wednesday at a nursing home in Flint. An autopsy was scheduled for Thursday.


"We've pulled the file. We're definitely going to do the investigation and submit it to the prosecutor for reconsideration," Lt. Carl Fuhs said.

Pattah was punched in the face by Desmon Venn in 1994 outside their high school. Pattah fell backward and hit his head on the pavement, witnesses said. The fall severed his brain stem.

Venn, now 26, was convicted of misdemeanor aggravated assault and sentenced to two months in boot camp and probation. The judge ruled that Venn did not intend to seriously injure Pattah.

His lawyer then, Elbert Hatchett, said new charges are not warranted because the case was closed when Venn pleaded guilty.

Pattah's family said they hope new charges will be filed.


"All we want to see is justice," said Pattah's sister, Lana Murad. "My brother lost 10 years of his life, and then he died. He never spoke another word."

(AP)
AP-CS-01-09-03 1526EST

I can't even imagine that happening to me or someone that I love.

it almost gives real meaning to the phrase "i'm going to hit you so hard your kids will feel it"

At common law, I believe that the victim had to die within a year and a day after the attack for a homicide conviction (or did the rule only apply to murder, as opposed to lesser forms of homicide?--I don't remember). But I don't know whether any U.S. state still adheres to the "year-and-a-day rule," and I don't practice criminal law.

(Matt's standard disclaimer: While I am licensed to practice law in Indiana, this post is for discussion purposes only, is not legal advice, and creates no attorney-client relationship.)

More-over, isn't there a law that says u cannot b convicted 4 the same crime twice? Or would the "'murder'" and the 'beating' b 2 different crimes?
Laws, who needs them?