Patrick Knowles assaults photographer
I had a bit of an incident covering court today. To cover court stories, we shoot witnesses and people connected to the case, in the high profile cases we cover. Patrick Knowles was a witness in the murder case of Dennis Hoy, Knowles former roommate. Ashleigh Pechaluk is charged with first-degree murder, for allegedly killing Hoy with an axe, while Knowles slept in his bedroom.
At lunch break in the case, I followed Knowles outside of the court house and began photographing him. He asked why I was taking his picture and I responded it was for the paper.
He made a rapid advance towards me and responded “If I see my picture in the paper tomorrow” and smacked my camera, which was raised to my face.
My editors and I discussed charging Knowles with assault. I decided to let it slide; he has enough to worry about.
Apparently in court he testified that he does not have an anger issue.
Patrick Knowles strikes the photographer, at 361 University Ave. Court House, Thursday, April 16, 2009. Knowles is a witness in the trail of Ashleigh Pechaluk, 24, accused of striking Dennis Hoy with an axe and killing him.
I’d be pissed too! The guy already has to testify in a murder trial, which is upsetting enough without having to have people follow him on a lunch break. Covering a case shouldn’t involve putting witnesses in the limelight. In some cases it could actually be quite dangerous- might as well paint a big target on their back. He didn’t have a choice being dragged into this- I’m sure the last thing he wants is to have his face plastered all over the papers. He already has to deal with what happened that day while he was sleeping, he shouldn’t have to do deal with the media circus. He doesn’t have an anger problem, you have a decency problem.
Ted
17 Apr 09 at 11:30 pm
Shame you didn’t press charges — Knowles looks like a first-class goof. Who shows up to court wearing a Linkin Part T-shirt? Scrawny goofs.
Raoul
29 Apr 09 at 7:17 am