Ritch Dowrey - 3rdDown in dire condition

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David
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I thought the Lions were going to honour Ritch before a home game this season?

Can't think of a better time than the season finale against Edmonton. It's Player Awards Night. Be kind of nice to give him something for courage and perseverance, then every year starting in 2010 give the Ritch Dowrey trophy, awarded to a player who exhibits courage, perseverance, and dedication or someone who made the squad despite long odds or difficult circumstances (past or future recipients might include players like Buck Pierce, Alexis Bwenge, Dante Booker, Trestin George).

http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/stori ... orge.shtml

Too often these awards get named posthumously. It would nice to do something when a guy's actually still alive.

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KnowItAll
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its been awhile. No more news??
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Court hears suckerpunch left father with 'catastropic' brain injury
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
By Lena Sin, The Province

Image

An unprovoked assault on Ritch Dowrey left the 62-year-old father with a “catastrophic” brain injury that means he will need lifelong assistance, Vancouver Provincial Court heard Wednesday morning.

Shawn Woodward has been accused of aggravated assault for allegedly hitting Dowrey on March 13, 2009, at the Fountainhead Pub on Davie Street in Vancouver’s West End.

The accused allegedly told witnesses that he suckerpunched Ritchie because “he’s a faggot — he deserved it.”

Dowrey, the father of two grown children and well-known in football circles as a huge B.C. Lions fan, now lives at the Connect care home in Langley.

Crown Counsel Jacinta Lawton said in her opening remarks in the trial that Dowrey will never be able to live independently again as a result of the injury, and requires assistance with daily activities such as feeding and dressing.

He also needs a walker to walk and a wheelchair for longer distances, Lawton said.

Dowrey has no memory of the attack, but is able to recognize family members, many of whom packed the courtroom Wednesday morning.

Lawton said there is no dispute over the identity of the accused, the date, time and location of the incident and the fact that Woodward applied force to Dowrey.

What is at issue is are the events leading up to the blow and whether Woodward acted in self defence, she said.

The first witness to be called to the stand, Fountainhead Pub waitress, Christina McNicholl, testified that Dowrey was a regular at the bar, where he frequently played pool.

That night, McNicholl said she saw that Dowrey was about to take a shot at the pool table when Woodward, who was standing on the other side of the table, walked over and punched Dowrey in the jaw and cheek.

She testified that no words were exchanged between the two men prior to the punch.

McNicholl said she immediately knew that Dowrey was rendered unconscious because he dropped his cue and fell straight backwards.

“It was dead weight falling,” McNicholl said in court. “I heard the back of Ritchie’s head hit the tile [floor] at the front entrance. It was loud, it was like a pop.”

McNicholl, 23, testified that she then saw Woodward step over Dowrey’s body and calmly walk out the front door of the pub.

The trial continues Wednesday afternoon.

http://www.theprovince.com/mobile/story.html?id=3306224
I'd love you to say it to my face because you'd only say it once...if you ever had the courage to say it at all!! Blitz, 05/24/2008
nelson95
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enjoy prison jerk
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Rammer
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nelson95 wrote:enjoy prison jerk
Sadly Ritch is in his own prison, thanks to this and Woodward can't serve enough time IMO and he won't in the end.
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KnowItAll
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every one should take a good look and this guy and remember, because the court is not going to give him anywhere near the punishment he deserves.

attack one lionbacker, attack all lionbackers I say.
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MacNews
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If you were to hit Mr. Woodward with your car..when you're drunk, then you'd just have to pay a fine and take some alcohol classes.

It's sad our 'justice' system is so impotent and useless.
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Toppy Vann
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MacNews wrote:If you were to hit Mr. Woodward with your car..when you're drunk, then you'd just have to pay a fine and take some alcohol classes.

It's sad our 'justice' system is so impotent and useless.
Justice system is overly skewed to the criminals at times but MacNews this is not true about hitting someone drunk.

You can and would be charged right up to criminal negligence causing death which is a jail term.

The delays in these idiots coming to trial is way too long and sentencing guidelines a bit on the weak side. More and longer jail sentences isn't always the answer but it would make us feel better to see a person who did something like this get severe punishment.

If he had money and resources (which most of these idiots like the drunk drivers who cause bad crashes usually don't) I'd prefer to see victims sue the wrongdoer in civil court and make them feel that pain for a very long time - possibly a working life time.
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Pub patron repeatedly approached attacker, accused's friend tells court


By Lena Sin, The Province July 22, 2010

Image

Shawn Woodward arrives at B.C. Provincial Court Wednesday to face aggravated-assault charges after allegedly sucker-punching Ritch Dowrey, 62, at a Vancouver pub in March 2009.
Photograph by: Nick Procaylo, PNG



In the moments before a catastrophic blow was dealt to Ritch Dowrey, the 62-year-old approached his attacker four times — and “would not leave him alone,” Vancouver Provincial Court heard on Thursday.

The testimony about events leading up to the assault was given by Gregory Price, a friend Shawn Woodward, the 37-year-old Vancouver resident accused of aggravated assault.

Woodward is accused of hitting Dowrey on March 13, 2009, at the Fountainhead Pub on Davie Street, a neighbourhood bar that caters to both the straight and gay, lesbian and transgendered communities.

Court heard in earlier testimony that Woodward told witnesses he punched Dowrey because “he’s a faggot, he deserved it.”

On the opening day of the trial Wednesday, Crown Counsel Jacinta Lawton laid out the devastating consequences of that evening’s assault, which left Dowrey with a massive brain injury that left him in need lifelong assistance.

Lawton said there is no dispute over the date, time or location of the assault, identity of the accused or the fact that the accused applied force to Dowrey.

What is at issue are the events leading up to the assault, and whether Woodward acted in self-defence.

Price, a friend of Woodward’s for about 22 years, testified that he witnessed Woodward suckerpunch Dowrey at the bar.

Price told court that Dowrey approached Woodward four times, and during one of them, Dowrey allegedly put his hand on Woodward’s shoulder.

He also testified that he heard Woodward say “I’m not like that” at least four times, and say “Don’t touch me” once.

In the first encounter, Dowrey offered to buy Woodward a drink, the court heard.

Price said Woodward replied by saying “I’m not like that” in a civil tone.

Dowrey left, then returned five minutes later to approach Woodward a second time and put his hand on the accused’s shoulder, Price testified.

“I do remember him placing his hand on Shawn’s shoulder and Shawn asking him not to,” Price told the court.

Price said he heard Woodward sternly say to Dowrey, “Please don’t touch me.”

Price testified that Dowrey appeared “a little intoxicated,” as he was stumbling and slurring his words — a stark contrast to accounts given Wednesday by other witnesses at the bar, who described Dowrey as sober.

Price said there were two more instances in which the two men had exchanges, and both times Price said he heard Woodward say “I’m not like that.”

After the fourth encounter, Price said Woodward “had enough and said ‘Let’s get out of here.’”

Price said he got ready to go, put on his hoodie jacket, finished his beer, then saw Woodward raise his hand and punch Dowrey in the jaw.

He said he was “shocked” and “surprised” by the punch.

Price said he saw Woodward leave after the blow, and followed him outside on Davie Street. Police arrrived some time later and arrested Woodward, he said.

The trial continues.

Read more: http://www.theprovince.com/news/Court+h ... z0uTvEjh5t
I'd love you to say it to my face because you'd only say it once...if you ever had the courage to say it at all!! Blitz, 05/24/2008
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KnowItAll
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have no clue how much truth there is to this, but really, how much credit can be put on the word of an obviously biased friend.
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Toppy Vann
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KnowItAll wrote:have no clue how much truth there is to this, but really, how much credit can be put on the word of an obviously biased friend.
In court the evidence is always conflicting as no two people will ever see exactly the same thing nor recall exactly what happened. Evidence-in-chief is one thing but cross-examination is another where the defendant's lawyer with witness statements in hand the evidence elicited by the Crown can make the opening evidence fall apart. The witnesses (other than the police) are not usually experienced in court and can say one thing and if contradicted by their initial witnesses statements can be made to look like idiots or even expose where lies are at the heart of it.

It would be very hard to prove self defense in a case based on this evidence so far as there seems to be no evidence that the assault was justified as the assailant was under attack. I pressed for an assault charge against a 28 year soccer player who hit my 17 year grade 12 player who was on the verge of a pro career in Germany. He concussed the guy and broke his skull bone above his eye. The kid was about to head back to a German pro team for his second summer and likely a contract. After my guy took the ball off him and sent a long ball to the striker this guy chased him, grabbed his jersey and spun him around and punched him viciously. At his sentencing as no witnesses had to be called he told the judge that this young upstart didn't show him -as an experienced player - enough respect. According to the Crown who called to tell me the outcome, the judge went nuts. $1500 fine, anger management course and something else I forgot. I had to push hard to get the charges laid. I did the same thing some years earlier when another 18 year old player of mine was assaulted by a 36 year old firemen from Delta. It is hard in sports but I did as these both were bigger guys sucker punching someone who was not fighting with them or doing anything at all.

Wait til the cross examination is in and the other witnesses come forward.

The judge has to weigh it up and make a decision. This dude is toast in my view. Guilty will be my guess.
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KnowItAll wrote:have no clue how much truth there is to this, but really, how much credit can be put on the word of an obviously biased friend.
Regardless, there was no justification for a physical assault and trying to say it was self defense. How can a sucker punch be ever considered as something done in self defense.

A 37 year old guy hitting a guy 25 years his senior was a cowardly act and he deserves to be punished.
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KnowItAll
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Blue In BC wrote:
KnowItAll wrote:have no clue how much truth there is to this, but really, how much credit can be put on the word of an obviously biased friend.
Regardless, there was no justification for a physical assault and trying to say it was self defense. How can a sucker punch be ever considered as something done in self defense.

A 37 year old guy hitting a guy 25 years his senior was a cowardly act and he deserves to be punished.
yeah, but if this friend is beleived, it could figure into a lighter sentence.
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So next time an older woman repeatedly hits on me at Woody's after a Lions game night I'll sucker punch her and say it was self defence because I was uncomfortable.

What a joke.
It is what it is.
Blue In BC
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KnowItAll wrote:
Blue In BC wrote:
KnowItAll wrote:have no clue how much truth there is to this, but really, how much credit can be put on the word of an obviously biased friend.
Regardless, there was no justification for a physical assault and trying to say it was self defense. How can a sucker punch be ever considered as something done in self defense.

A 37 year old guy hitting a guy 25 years his senior was a cowardly act and he deserves to be punished.
yeah, but if this friend is beleived, it could figure into a lighter sentence.
Even if he felt he was being hit on, there was no need for violence. At worst, he was annoyed but was not in any risk or danger.

He could have / should have just walked away.
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