2008 Woodie Awards
Alumnus charged in knife attack
Allison Lyons
Issue date: 3/14/08 Section: News
Police have filed charges against a former student group leader in connection with a knife attack on a senior, which police say broke out at the Thirsty Turtle during winter break.
The man charged, Damien M. Nichols, a 2006 alumnus and former president of Students for a Sensible Drug Policy, fiercely disputed the felony assault and reckless endangerment charges yesterday, saying he had never visited the bar and had "no idea" who the student victim was. Nichols vowed to fight the charges and predicted a swift acquittal.
"I'm dumbfounded; this is the first I've ever heard of [the charges]," Nichols said. "It's obviously a case of mistaken identity."
Charging documents show the victim, whom police identified as Sean Hammond, told police that on Dec. 30 a man approached him at the Thirsty Turtle and accused him of stealing his money. Documents show that Hammond told the man he had the wrong guy, but the man pulled out a folding knife and held it to his throat.
The man then cut Hammond twice on the face and once on the neck, and punched him in the face several times, a Prince George's County Police detective wrote in the document. Bouncers at the bar pulled the man off of Hammond, then took him outside and ordered him to leave, police Det. L. Lone wrote.
The detective wrote that last week, Hammond was shown a six-photo lineup of suspects, and "the victim immediately pointed to the picture of the defendant Nichols." Charges were filed March 8, but Nichols has not yet been arrested.
Hammond declined a request to be interviewed for this story.
It remains unclear why Thirsty Turtle bouncers did not call police after the knife attack. When asked why bouncers did not call police after a man drew blood from a student's face with a knife, Thirsty Turtle part-owner Thomas Hall said the bar typically keeps police officers on hand during the school year, but that night none were on duty.
"Police would have no shot at stopping that," Hall added. "I am not worried about hurting the business, because these things never do. Kids really could care less."
The man charged, Damien M. Nichols, a 2006 alumnus and former president of Students for a Sensible Drug Policy, fiercely disputed the felony assault and reckless endangerment charges yesterday, saying he had never visited the bar and had "no idea" who the student victim was. Nichols vowed to fight the charges and predicted a swift acquittal.
"I'm dumbfounded; this is the first I've ever heard of [the charges]," Nichols said. "It's obviously a case of mistaken identity."
Charging documents show the victim, whom police identified as Sean Hammond, told police that on Dec. 30 a man approached him at the Thirsty Turtle and accused him of stealing his money. Documents show that Hammond told the man he had the wrong guy, but the man pulled out a folding knife and held it to his throat.
The man then cut Hammond twice on the face and once on the neck, and punched him in the face several times, a Prince George's County Police detective wrote in the document. Bouncers at the bar pulled the man off of Hammond, then took him outside and ordered him to leave, police Det. L. Lone wrote.
The detective wrote that last week, Hammond was shown a six-photo lineup of suspects, and "the victim immediately pointed to the picture of the defendant Nichols." Charges were filed March 8, but Nichols has not yet been arrested.
Hammond declined a request to be interviewed for this story.
It remains unclear why Thirsty Turtle bouncers did not call police after the knife attack. When asked why bouncers did not call police after a man drew blood from a student's face with a knife, Thirsty Turtle part-owner Thomas Hall said the bar typically keeps police officers on hand during the school year, but that night none were on duty.
"Police would have no shot at stopping that," Hall added. "I am not worried about hurting the business, because these things never do. Kids really could care less."
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Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
hehrhe
posted 3/14/08 @ 8:08 AM EST
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! you quoted Stacia, WHY!? Since when is she a credible source just because she took over the same student group he was once the president of? Just because the reporter ran out of leads and sources, doesn't mean you have to go and find a quote that has NO bearing on the case whatsoever. (Continued…)
amanda
posted 3/14/08 @ 9:45 AM EST
Since when has the Diamondback exhibited anything except poor reporting?
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