Suspect arrested in beating of Mayor Barrett

[PeaceNikki]

http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/53347442.html

By Nicholas Penzenstadler of the Journal Sentinel
Updated: Aug. 16, 2009 2:28 p.m.

A 20-year-old man was arrested and is being questioned Sunday in connection with Saturday's beating of Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett as the mayor was leaving State Fair Park in West Allis, Police Chief Edward A. Flynn announced at an afternoon press conference.

Milwaukee police arrested Anthony J. Peters about noon Sunday near 17th St. and State St., Flynn said. Peters has an extensive arrest record, including other assault charges, and Barrett stepped in while Peters was threatening other violent acts, West Allis Police Chief Mike Jungbluth said.

"Last night, he was a totally violent and vicious thug, and that's how he behaved," Flynn said during a 2 p.m. conference at the home of Barrett's brother, John Barrett.

A tearful John Barrett said his brother suffered serious injuries, but that doctors said he was expected to recover.

"He still has a good sense of humor and he's a great brother," said John Barrett, the Milwaukee County Clerk of Circuit Court. "Tom stepped up and did the right thing. He called 911 and tried to calm the situation, protecting a grandmother and child."

I wish a very speedy recovery to a fine man! :patriot:

[midnight]

1. Thanks Peace Nikki for this information.

I heard this on the radio earlier and was hoping for more info. Speedy recovering to this wonderful mayor.

[PeaceNikki]

2. I was reduced to tears watching his brothers press conference.

His wife and sister and kids and niece saw this happen. x(

[midnight]

10. We too have been greatly sadded by this event. I did not see

his brother's press conference, but was upset to know his family was left to witness this horror. The whole thing is gut wrenching.

[Dinger]

3. Good,

and I can't help but think with Doyle's announcement, this would be something in Barrett's favor should he run for governor in 2010. He's a great candidate regardless. I like Lawton a lot too.

[Poiuyt]

4. I was thinking that too

Maybe he'll appeal to the John Wayne types

[HDPaulG]

5. The suggestion that doing the right thing....

and suffering bodily harm qualifies someone to be a great candidate to run our State is illogical. I despise " I quit college" Walker and Neuman to be Governor, and all Republican candidates in fact.

I wish Mayor Barrett the speediest of a full recovery. For him to leap to Governor...I need to see leadership. Which he has not shown in my fair city of MKE.

[mojowork_n]

6. I wish him a speedy recovery, too, but

have to confess that I'm a little bit confused by some of Mayor Barett's recent actions.

That whole front-page announcement of the proposed putsch to replace the school board, and swap out elected representatives with mayoral flunkies, for instance.

What's that all about? The way I read the J-S news story, they saved the best part for the end ("burying the lede," I think that's called) when they talked about how much Federal government cash could be available.

I can see where a governor and mayor facing serious budget issues might be tempted by that, but it didn't necessarily seem like a recipe for boosting student achievement. Chicago did something similar and Mayor Daley appointed someone with no experience, or background at all, in education, to be in charge. Results have been indifferent, or mixed, at best. Under that system, what would happen if you had a total sell-out -- a Scott Walker, or an Art Donovan -- elected to the mayor's office?

It seems clear that the editorial staff of the Journal-Sentinel -- bowing to the wishes of the WMC, and greater Milwaukee Committee -- believe it to be a great idea, but all they seem to be interested in is teaching kids just enough math to make change at MacDonald's. All that teaching-to-the-test, "No Child" b.s., again.

Or maybe I'm mistaken, but it was a big red flag for me when Michael Bonds, the School Board Head, refused to go along.

[Homer12]

7. Hemmer RW LLC Blogger take

URL: http://www.livinglakecountry.com/blogs/communityblogs/53349937.html

Well, you'll love this blog then

[PeaceNikki]

8. That rag produces nothing but unadulterated RW talking points.

And that link is no exception.

:puke:

[mojowork_n]

9. So, if that's YOUR point of view,

...which letter of the alphabet...

...should be stencil-cut from a bright, red cloth, and sewn to
the previous poster's jerkin, or tunic?

"A" for "apathetic?" (Emblematic of someone too indifferent, callous,
or cold-shouldered, with respect to Mayor Barrett's disregard for his
own safety, yesterday?) As the RW idiot in your linked column was?

I don't think so.

...But this particular thread may not have been the best place to
post anything but a message of support for the mayor, which he truly
deserves.

So I'm going to repost my own comment -- the open question about the
whole MPS take-over issue -- in a new thread. Which won't stoop to
the level of gutter sarcasm/personal insult politics that your linked RW
columnist did. (And won't even mention the mayor, by name, or directly
or indirectly imply any criticsm of the Barrett administration, at all.)

[undeterred]

11. Milwaukee mayor says attack got 'ugly' quickly

MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee's mayor said Wednesday his decision to intervene in a domestic dispute got "very ugly" quickly but he did what any good citizen should do even though it left him with a bloody scab on his face and his shattered right hand bound by a bulky cast.

Tom Barrett spoke for the first time Wednesday about being attacked by a man as he attempted to help a woman and her 1-year-old granddaughter near the Wisconsin State Fair on Saturday night. The popular 55-year-old mayor suffered a shattered hand, got two of his teeth knocked out and had gashes on his face and the back of his head.

Speaking in the front yard of his home where he has been recuperating since he left the hospital on Monday, Barrett said he initially thought something was wrong with the baby before realizing the 20-year-old man was agitated.

"I think it's fair to say things got very, very ugly, very, very quickly," Barrett said. The mayor declined to discuss details of the attack, saying he didn't want to jeopardize the ongoing criminal investigation.

The man has been arrested, and Chief Deputy District Attorney Kent Lovern expected charges to be filed Thursday morning. He was being held in Milwaukee County jail Wednesday on $25,000 bail.

The grandmother has said the suspect is the girl's birth father. Barrett said he was most concerned about his hand injury but his overall prognosis was good. "We're on the mend, everything's heading in the right direction, and I just wanted to let you know I'm still standing," he said.

About 100 neighbors and friends gathered and applauded the mayor Wednesday as he emerged with his wife, Kris, sister Betsy Barrett-Flood, and his 20-year-old niece, Molly Barrett-Flood, who called 911 for help after her uncle was attacked.

As he's been recovering, Barrett has gotten calls from many well-wishers, including President Barack Obama. He said he was happy to get the call — but told the president he'd prefer "to be called for pitching a perfect game" instead.

A reporter told Barrett her television station had received hundreds of get-well wishes from people who called the mayor a hero. When asked to respond, the mayor said simply: "I'll say Molly's my hero."

Kathleen Hubing, 58, was among the neighbors who came to hear Barrett speak. She said she was impressed that he spent so much time praising his family, as well as police and hospital officials. "That's our mayor. He's always giving honor and praise to those who need it rather than himself," said Hubing, a retired schoolteacher.

On Tuesday, Brew City Brand Apparel started selling black and yellow T-shirts in honor of Barrett that read, "Our Mayor Ain't No Cream Puff." Cream puffs are enormously popular at the state fair, which ended Sunday.

Barrett's name has been circulating as a possible Democratic candidate for governor in 2010 after Gov. Jim Doyle announced this week he will not seek a third term. Reporters didn't ask Barrett about those rumors because a mayoral spokesman requested before the news conference that questions pertain only to the mayor's condition.

Barrett was elected Milwaukee mayor in 2004 and re-elected last year with nearly 80 percent of the vote. He also served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1992 to 2002.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hXwlvfEyNph97sajR3bmVzrbGBEgD9A68GG80

[sybylla]

12. I saw the MSNBC video of his press conference

I was thrilled to see he was still standing!

He's always been one of my favorite Dems.

[PeaceNikki]

13. Here's the criminal complaint.

http://media2.620wtmj.com/Criminal%20Complaint_1%20-%20Peters,%20Anthony%20J.pdf

He really is lucky to be alive. People suck. :(