Hit in head, police told me to go home... what is next?

[justanotherdude]

This past weekend my friends and I decided to grab a slice at a local pizza place after hitting a few bars in the great city of Boston. As we were standing in line a guy comes through the door, starts elbowing people out of the way and goes and hangs out with his friend at the beginning of the line. I don't even know *Why* I decided to do anything but I basically blurted out "Hey why don't you not cut people in line, and get to the back like everyone else". He did not like this very much and grabbed me and said "Do you wanna go"... from there on out 3 guys basically jumped me, I got pushed out the door and when I was on the ground punched in the head and knocked out cold. I'm a big guy and growing up in a house with a brother you naturally learn to fight but it was 3:1 and I got my *** handed to me.

Upon waking up I called 911, told the dispatcher what happened and a cruiser rolled up almost instantly. I started talking to the cop, much in a daze (as I just got knocked out) and basically told him my old man is a retired cop, I don't want to be a ***** about this but I got smacked hard in the head and I can only ID one of the guys. He asked me what I wanted to do, and I said "I want nothing to do with these guys!" and he asked for ID, gave him my ID, wrote down my name and hometown and told me to go home.

So... I went home. I probably had a concussion as I was feeling *really* sick to my stomach after the fact. I don't know what to do now. Is there anything I should be on the look-out for? A letter from BPD? Anything? I don't want to get stopped years down the road and find out I have a warrant out for being in a fight.

I'd typically seek the advice of my father, he was a beat cop, detective and SWAT team member for 23 years when I as growing up- but I obviously don't want to cause my parents any un-needed stress.

[PapaBear]

I am curious: "This past weekend my friends and I decided to grab a slice at a local pizza place after hitting a few bars in the great city of Boston. As we were standing in line..."

You are saying that this brute singled you out and your "friends" did nothing to help you?

First: Find new friends

Second: If you are drinking, learn to keep your comments to yourself

Third: Stay out of pizza parlors

Fourth: Stay clear of the guy(s) who kicked your butt

Fifth: Since you chose to do nothing when the officer asked, you need to watch for your own medical issues. If you develop severe headaches, start seeing double or have vision problems, continue feeling nauseaus, etc., seek out some medical help. A hidden blood clot could end your life or cause you severe health issues.

[justanotherdude]

I am curious: "This past weekend my friends and I decided to grab a slice at a local pizza place after hitting a few bars in the great city of Boston. As we were standing in line..."

You are saying that this brute singled you out and your "friends" did nothing to help you?

First: Find new friends

Second: If you are drinking, learn to keep your comments to yourself

Third: Stay out of pizza parlors

Fourth: Stay clear of the guy(s) who kicked your butt

Fifth: Since you chose to do nothing when the officer asked, you need to watch for your own medical issues. If you develop severe headaches, start seeing double or have vision problems, continue feeling nauseaus, etc., seek out some medical help. A hidden blood clot could end your life or cause you severe health issues.

Thank you for the advice, I am taking it to heart. I would have likely said something to the guy if he had cut the line regardless but likely would have done it with less enthusiasm.

In retrospect I should have gone to the hospital, this incident happened directly across the street from Mass General Hospital.

I was actually very surprised with the officer's behavior. He was probably having a bad night. I spent my entire childhood growing up around police officers (many family members and friends) and they were always over-eager to help. Maybe I did not communicate how much pain I was in.

I am still worried that somehow my name is going to pop-up somewhere saying that I got into a fight when I was very clearly the victim.

[manahmanah]

You said you wanted to prosecution desired, no report, officer goes back on duty. Stay home when drunk.

[Curt581]

I don't understand people who pull this stuff. You called the cops, then told the responding officer you didn't want anything done. So when the cop doesn't do anything, you claim "he must have been having a bad night". What the hell did you want?

Why didn't you tell him you wanted your assailant prosecuted?

Why didn't you give the officer the names of your friends, since they were witnesses?

Why didn't you tell the officer you wanted medical attention?

Why didn't you go to the hospital yourself, since it was right across the street?

He even ASKED you what you wanted done. You told him you wanted nothing to do with the guys who attacked you. In essence, what you told him was that if he arrested the guy who hit you, you were unwilling to appear in court or testify against him. That reduced the entire incident to a waste of his time.

I can not tell you how frustrating it is to respond to a complaint, only to have the victim/witness tell me they don't want anything done about it. They just want someone to take a report. I don't know why. Unless it's a vehicle accident report, a police incident report does absolutely nothing. 99% never get read by anyone except the officer's supervisor to sign off on it. It's entered into a database, then a paper copy is generated and filed, never to be seen again. The database lasts a few years, then it's wiped out when the next generation computer system is installed.

On a side note, I can't speak for other officers, but I'm getting kind of tired of always being accused of "having a bad day".

If I arrest someone committing a crime, he says I must be having a bad day. I write a speeder a ticket, it's only because I'm having a bad day. If I don't agree to change someone's flat tire even though the driver appears perfectly capable of doing it themselves, it must be because I'm having a bad day.

The term "having a bad day" implies that my demeanor is rude, confrontational or uncooperative. It isn't. I'm just doing my job the way I'm supposed to, not necessarily the way YOU think it should be done.

[justanotherdude]

I don't understand people who pull this stuff. You called the cops, then told the responding officer you didn't want anything done. So when the cop doesn't do anything, you claim "he must have been having a bad night". What the hell did you want?

Why didn't you tell him you wanted your assailant prosecuted?

Why didn't you give the officer the names of your friends, since they were witnesses?

Why didn't you tell the officer you wanted medical attention?

Why didn't you go to the hospital yourself, since it was right across the street?

He even ASKED you what you wanted done. You told him you wanted nothing to do with the guys who attacked you. In essence, what you told him was that if he arrested the guy who hit you, you were unwilling to appear in court or testify against him. That reduced the entire incident to a waste of his time.

I can not tell you how frustrating it is to respond to a complaint, only to have the victim/witness tell me they don't want anything done about it. They just want someone to take a report.

I am not trying to make excuses for my lack of action once the police arrived, I most certainly should have been more pro-active once they arrived but at the time I was "very messed up" from the blow to my head and I had blood on my hand. I could not think straight. I did not seek medical attention because I was trying not to be a "problem customer" he asked me if I could walk, I said yes and he told me to walk home... when I said "that's it?" he said "yep". I am not going to stand there and argue with him, if he thinks I should go home I am going to follow his instructions.

[manahmanah]

I don't understand people who pull this stuff. You called the cops, then told the responding officer you didn't want anything done. So when the cop doesn't do anything, you claim "he must have been having a bad night". What the hell did you want?

Why didn't you tell him you wanted your assailant prosecuted?

Why didn't you give the officer the names of your friends, since they were witnesses?

Why didn't you tell the officer you wanted medical attention?

Why didn't you go to the hospital yourself, since it was right across the street?

He even ASKED you what you wanted done. You told him you wanted nothing to do with the guys who attacked you. In essence, what you told him was that if he arrested the guy who hit you, you were unwilling to appear in court or testify against him. That reduced the entire incident to a waste of his time.

I can not tell you how frustrating it is to respond to a complaint, only to have the victim/witness tell me they don't want anything done about it. They just want someone to take a report. I don't know why. Unless it's a vehicle accident report, a police incident report does absolutely nothing. 99% never get read by anyone except the officer's supervisor to sign off on it. It's entered into a database, then a paper copy is generated and filed, never to be seen again. The database lasts a few years, then it's wiped out when the next generation computer system is installed.

On a side note, I can't speak for other officers, but I'm getting kind of tired of always being accused of "having a bad day".

If I arrest someone committing a crime, he says I must be having a bad day. I write a speeder a ticket, it's only because I'm having a bad day. If I don't agree to change someone's flat tire even though the driver appears perfectly capable of doing it themselves, it must be because I'm having a bad day.

The term "having a bad day" implies that my demeanor is rude, confrontational or uncooperative. It isn't. I'm just doing my job the way I'm supposed to, not necessarily the way YOU think it should be done.

Geez dude, chill.....you must be having a bad day.

[manahmanah]

By the way, I agree with you. People call the cops, don't want anything done, but still want you to take a police report, "Just to have it documented." As if having something documented is going to do anything. We will never use it for anything, and neither will they. Like you said, it will just take up space on a computer hard drive never to be read by anyone again.

[BP348]

I am not trying to make excuses for my lack of action once the police arrived, I most certainly should have been more pro-active once they arrived but at the time I was "very messed up" from the blow to my head and I had blood on my hand. I could not think straight. I did not seek medical attention because I was trying not to be a "problem customer" he asked me if I could walk, I said yes and he told me to walk home... when I said "that's it?" he said "yep". I am not going to stand there and argue with him, if he thinks I should go home I am going to follow his instructions.

+1000 for what Curt said.

As far as the above goes I call B.S.

lets see if I have this straight;

You go to the bar with your friends

Then you go for pizza W/ your friends

You get into a fight, 3 on 1, where the he!! were your friends?

You get knocked out and your friends haul a$$?

Then when the officer gets there you're to dazed to think straight but follow the Officer's instructions after YOU tell him you don't want to do anything about it. Again where were your friends?

Sorry I'm not buying it.

[Sgt. Slaughter]

I'd typically seek the advice of my father, he was a beat cop, detective and SWAT team member for 23 years when I as growing up- but I obviously don't want to cause my parents any un-needed stress.

Why not ask the guy who should know? Are your parents gonna kick you out of the house? Lemme guess - you still live at home but you're grown up enough to go out drinking. Maybe caused enough problems that you've been given an ultimatum by Mom and Dad to not get into any more trouble?

[cruzmisl]

I see the equation unfold in my mind. Night of drinking, likely half gassed, bars close and you go to the pizza joint to get some grub which is filled to capacity with other drunk patrons. ONE man walks in and causes a disturbance. You had too much loudmouth soup and decide to say something figuring its four against one and get your *** handed to you. You tell the cop you want nothing done and then go home and have second thoughts.

You need to understand something. Even if you did complain, unless you know this person's name, the chance of prosecution is slim to none considering almost 600K people live in Boston.

I'll say it since no one else has, the last person I want to deal with is some drunk dude who got beat up because he opened his pie hole. I can think of several other things I'd rather deal with. I'm sure there is more to the story.