Todd Bertuzzi charged with assault.

[YOUR Hero]

3 months later.

Criminal charges by the province of BC.

Talk too, that Steve Moore might lay civil charges against Bertuzzi.

[VonErich Lives]

Can't disagree w/ it legally... but still don't like the precident...

I think maybe th NHL or even the NHLPA should add some clause about "reasonable risk" and such...

[da_king]

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i wonder if there will be any sort of backlash towards moore by other players or the nhl if he does file a civil suit. anyways i can't really argue against them laying charges, it's such a high profile case that they probably don't have much choice and run the risk of looking bad or receiving negative publicity.

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[YOUR Hero]

The NHL released a statement stating they were disappointed with the actions of the police. They stated they felt they delt with it swiftly and fairly, that they would have liked to have kept it 'in house'. (paraphrasing)

[MoRcHeEbA]

still don't think criminal charges should have been layed, I don't believe that it's a legal matter :o If a boxer in a boxing match punches a guy and breaks his nose he doesn't get charged with assult, why should a hockey player.

[El Capitano Gatisto]

Boxers have a licence to fight.

[MoRcHeEbA]

there's a penalty for fighting and instigating. If you're gonna charge people with criminal offences there's no need for those two penalties

[El Capitano Gatisto]

I don't really know anything about the situation, but the line between assault on the pitch and just foul play gets stepped over sometimes.

A Scottish footballer called Duncan Ferguson spent some time in jail for assault, for headbutting another player on the pitch. It's a red card, and he gets suspended, but he still fucking headbutted the guy, and it's a criminal offence.

They should just make the guy pressing charges feel like a pussy, if this is some honour thing in ice hockey.

[VonErich Lives]

still don't think criminal charges should have been layed, I don't believe that it's a legal matter :o If a boxer in a boxing match punches a guy and breaks his nose he doesn't get charged with assult, why should a hockey player.

I agree, I think where the issue comes in here is that it wasn't a "fight" it was a cheap shot, 1 person was an unwilling participant and in a defensless position.

Say in Boxing, the bell rings, the guy is walking back to his corner and the other guy runs up and sucker punches him and knocks him out or breaks his nose, the guy who threw the punch would probably face charges.

IF this was a situation where 2 players faced off and were throwing at each other and one got the better of the other, it wouldn't be an issue.

[da_king]

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well if the mcsorely case is any prescedent, he could get a conditional discharge. if that's the case what's the point of doing all this and wasting tax payers money. it could very well be that the league would givie him a stiffer punishment than the courts end up doing.

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[MoRcHeEbA]

They better hope the judge isn't a canucks fan

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

Morcheeba, that has to be the worst analogy I have ever seen. The boxing deal that is.

[Guest #1]

I don't agree with the arguement, that it's a part of the game and should be dealt with in house. The way I see it, there is the obligation to the game and then to society. When one breaks the law, a professional association cannot simply say a loss of pay or job constitutes repayment of the action done. Many people loose their jobs after being charged, but it does not prevent the courts from hearing the case. I do believe that the punishment phase is where the suspention should be examined in determining what it apt response, but not in determining the charges.

PS. I would have commented earlier, but my computer has been acting up.