Seattle 'superhero' who pepper-sprayed group avoids charges

[Major Nikon]

Officials in Seattle have decided not to press charges against self-proclaimed superhero Phoenix Jones, accused of assault after pepper-spraying a group he said was fighting outside a nightclub. The city attorney, however, called his actions "misguided."

Jones said late Wednesday in a Facebook posting that he was not surprised there would be no charges, as he claimed he committed no crime, but he took umbrage with the Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes' statement.

Jones, whose real name is Ben Fodor, wears a black mask with yellow stripes and a bulging muscle bodysuit. The city patroller, age 23, was arrested Oct. 9 on four counts of assault. He spent about 7 hours in jail before posting $3,800 bail, but subsequently lost his day job teaching autistic kids.

...

"Pepper spray is defined as a self defense tool and is very hard to use offensively, however we have seen a lot of that on the news here in Seattle," Jones said, apparently referring to the eviction of Occupy Seattle protesters, including an elderly woman who was pepper-sprayed by police. "I hope somewhere in that law there is more protection for the elderly, and peaceful protesters."

...

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/23/8983013-seattle-superhero-who-pepper-sprayed-group-avoids-charges

[Enrique]

1. we seemed to have entered the Age of Pepper Spray

:wtf:

[Major Nikon]

2. But he only uses his pepper spray as a force for good

It's a wonder he didn't get beat to death afterward.

[Poll_Blind]

3. In response to the bolded paragraph- I was a victim of an attempted mugging where...

...the very first thing the mugger did was pepper-spray both my friend and I in the face before demanding our wallets. He was also armed with some fighting sticks which he'd kept hidden under a hoodie. Good news, my glasses protected my eyes from the spray and my friend only got body-shot with the stuff- so he returned fire in the form of 64 gloriously-sticky ounces of Mountain Dew in a flimsy cardboard cup. Went off like a bomb when it hit the guy and soaked him completely.

He ran off, almost getting hit by several cars in the process.

Anyway, having personally been a victim of pepper spray used offensively, I take issue with the assertion.

PB

[Enrique]

5. lol, Mountain Dew vs. Pepper Spray

a battle of colorful caustic substances. :thumbsup:

[MadHound]

4. Yeah, I'm seeing this "super hero" movement turning up more and more,

Not a good thing to have vigilantes enforcing the law. Hopefully they get these freaks off the street before they cause some real damage to somebody.