More than a year later, Belltown beating victim still struggling
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SEATTLE -- The victim of a brutal beating in Belltown said his attackers stole more than just his money.
The July 2011 attack left Matt Hale, a popular doorman, bleeding and with permanent brain damage.
A year and a half after the vicious attack, Hale still remembers nothing of the night that changed his life. He was told thugs jumped him from behind and bashed in his head.
He came to four days later in the hospital, and he's never been the same.
"I lost some of my brain," he said.
Police still don't know who jumped the 70-year-old while he was walking home from his job as a doorman at Seattle Heights. Because of his injuries, he'll never be able to return to work.
"It's a life i don't have anymore," Hale said. "I very seldom see the people that I used to know."
Hale cherishes the get-well cards his Belltown friends and neighbors sent as he went through months of physical therapy, where he relearned how to walk and talk.
Harold Seaburg remembers Hale as an excellent concierge at the high-rise apartments who was always full of useful tips.
"If had any kinds of questions or anything about downtown, or the Mariners, or anything, he'd always know that information for you," Seaburg said.
Working as a concierge was more than just extra income for Hale. It was a social outlet and the reason he got up every morning. Criminals stole that treasure from him, along with the cash from his wallet.
Police got an early lead in the case when images of the beating suspects running past security cameras at Fisher Plaza surfaced. But a year and a half later the case has gone cold.
Hale has never spoken to the media before, and he only chose to now because he's so grateful for all the help he's received along the way.
"People in Belltown are still wonderful to me. They still are," he said.
Police say the beating case is still an open and active investigation.
The July 2011 attack left Matt Hale, a popular doorman, bleeding and with permanent brain damage.
A year and a half after the vicious attack, Hale still remembers nothing of the night that changed his life. He was told thugs jumped him from behind and bashed in his head.
He came to four days later in the hospital, and he's never been the same.
"I lost some of my brain," he said.
Police still don't know who jumped the 70-year-old while he was walking home from his job as a doorman at Seattle Heights. Because of his injuries, he'll never be able to return to work.
"It's a life i don't have anymore," Hale said. "I very seldom see the people that I used to know."
Hale cherishes the get-well cards his Belltown friends and neighbors sent as he went through months of physical therapy, where he relearned how to walk and talk.
Harold Seaburg remembers Hale as an excellent concierge at the high-rise apartments who was always full of useful tips.
"If had any kinds of questions or anything about downtown, or the Mariners, or anything, he'd always know that information for you," Seaburg said.
Working as a concierge was more than just extra income for Hale. It was a social outlet and the reason he got up every morning. Criminals stole that treasure from him, along with the cash from his wallet.
Police got an early lead in the case when images of the beating suspects running past security cameras at Fisher Plaza surfaced. But a year and a half later the case has gone cold.
Hale has never spoken to the media before, and he only chose to now because he's so grateful for all the help he's received along the way.
"People in Belltown are still wonderful to me. They still are," he said.
Police say the beating case is still an open and active investigation.
As a certified NRA instructor, I think that this man should have been armed.Â
@lakeview Good idea! Then the muggers could have had his wallet AND his gun!
Watch the original surveillance video sometime. The muggers caught him from behind and a gun would have been worthless to him.Â
@Fooey Patooey! @lakeviewBakedview is a troll, ignore him.
More proof that it doesn't matter how nice you are, what neighborhood you live in, what your job is, what color your skin is, what gender you are.....there are no criteria for victims of crime, and violent crime at that. Chances are there will not be a cop around when you need one, and that people will not get involved with something that doesn't involve them. You are the only one responsible for your own safety. How do you plan to ensure that you are safe, or at least as safe as you can be? I know how I will do that, for myself and those I care about.....
That said, glad this guy didn't end up like Tuba Man, who's killers are still walking free today....thanks to the "hug-a-thug" judges in Washington, and King County especially.
This is a direct result of the catch and release policy that Seattle judges employ on a daily basis.
This is why the hug-a-thug mentality in WA has to stop. No doubt the people who did this most likely had priors and the systems keeps turning them out onto the streets after a slap on the wrist. The judge who most recently sentenced these creeps as well as the parole board that let them out should be sued and lose their jobs.Â
@NW-Economist Ah yes, once again you assume the liberal judges are to blame. You clearly aren't a lawyer. Prosecutors call the shots. Judges sign off on deals. In the vast majority of these catch and release situations, the criminals plead out, avoid trials, and get prosecutor-suggested sentences. Sometimes a judge refuses to sign off on these deals, but that doesn't happen as often as it should.  Â
@lakeview @NW-EconomistAs usual you are wrong. But then, that shouldn't surprise anyone here:
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2011-04-12-Prison-recidivism-rates-hold-steady.htm
â¢Washington state reported a 31% jump during the same period.
âRight now, the incentives are mostly backwards,â Gelb said. âWhen offenders (on probation or parole) are breaking the rules, supervision agencies win by sending them back to prison and getting them off their caseloads. That needs to be flipped, so the agencies get rewarded with a share of the savings when they reduce returns to prison.â
Lakeview ALWAYS has compassion for the criminal, never the victim. He just cant help it. Its a liberal thing I guess.
@lakeview @NW-EconomistA judge has leeway in sentencing, the things he uses are GUIDELINES and they impose a range of different sentences at their own discretion. They can choose to ignore prosecutor's deals if they want to. Learn basic law.
@NW-Economist @lakeview  Nothing I said above was wrong at all. You are talking about what happens AFTER they get out of jail. Maybe you aren't smart enough to understand that there is a process before all of that to determine what if any charges these people face. Â
A judge does not set up plea deals. Understand? A judge does not offer deals to criminals to plead guilty to assault instead of attempted murder.Â
What really stinks is the fact that there are people out there who know exactly who did this, but won't come forward because he's 'just' some white guy and they wouldn't want to get labeled as a 'snitch'.
@SargeMcC I have pretty low expectations of anyone who would jump an old man from behind and beat the crap out of him for fun. They obviously have no morals and probably no self-esteem for that matter. I would assume the people they associate with are the same.
Beltown is a problem that the mayor and council have know about for years and all they do is build stadiums and bike lanes. It is like East LA down there.Â
Seriously - this is what these thugs do to feel tough? Â Beat up a 70 year old man? Â That makes them feel like real men? Â Little punk a** boys - they should stick to just beating and killing each other.
Are some people void of a a conscience or something else?  Matt Hale is a victim and his recourse is nothing compared to the compassion that the perpetrators end up getting like a unrealistic financial award settlement from the City.Â
The attack doesn't surprise me. Â Belltown has always had issues and a well deserved rep for years. Â I have friends that live near Belltown, one of them has been mugged twice, the other had to deal with a purse snatcher, and I don't feel safe there and tend to be on edge due to the types that hang out there, in particular late at night when it is dark.
Possibly another game of knockout king. It is way under-reported because it is politically incorrect to draw attention to it.
@Willow What is "knock out king?" I have an acquaintance that was also attacked and left unconscious in that area -- and nothing was taken from him. Just a random attack by some young "men."Â
Oh, just found info on it in the media from the UK (as usual, these stories concerning Americans are not being reported here.) @Willow  Looks it's also related to some video games.  Yay parents.. doing a bang up job of parenting.Â
The perps did not need to beat this seventy year old Mr. Hale to rob him. Every day I read about innocent people being brutally attacked for no reason by the worst in our society. There is a message for us to hear. We have more and more people in society who do not have empathy for other humans and this is a big problem.  Our government is tying the hands of the police department and the government would like to manage our guns. You have to protect yourself as we are in precarious times.  When in public, be aware of your surroundings and note where the exits are when inside a building.  In addition, always protect youself. It's a good idea to carry your weapon whether it's a can a mace, knift or pistol.Â
Had that been a cop or a woman that was beat on... they'd caught the person within a week.Â
@Jack60Â And had it been a Cop that did the beating, this wouldn't be news!!!Â
I can only hope these career criminals are already behind bars for something else.
Otherwise they are likely to live by the sword and die by the sword.
Why does anyone live in this thug area?
Can't even express how much I wish they could catch these pathetic losers... maybe this story will stir up a lead. Hang in there Matt- you have something those punks will never have... a conscience and a warm spirit. Peace be with you.
Oh, I remember reading about this! I cried a little when I first heard about it. It's one thing to just point a gun at someone and take their money. It's another thing to use such profound violence to get what you want from an individual. It takes an incredibly sick POS to do something like this to another human being. Keeping my fingers crossed that they get apprehended soon.
What blows my mind is these savages are out there roaming free, without suffering from enough guilt to turn themselves in. Heck, they probably think they earned some street cred by beating up a defenseless old man. There are some truly evil people in this world, and these savage animals can be counted among them.
@StringerJoe Totally man. I can't believe that. It is pure sadness and madness... I mean, who does that? That is really messed up.