Yet another reason validating my decision never to jog. Duane Starkenburg, an avid jogger and admirer of womanhood in spandex, was been arrested as the suspect in the Lincoln Park jogging attacks. The official version:
Just before 4 p.m. Tuesday, a 27-year-old woman was jogging on the waterfront trail in Lincoln Park, in the 8000 block of Fauntleroy Way Southwest. According to police, an unknown man ran up behind her and attempted to tackle her, throwing his arms around her legs. The woman, who was not injured, was able to break free and get away.
And the unofficial version:
Starkenburg, who lives with his parents in West Seattle, told his mother the whole thing was an accident, according to his mother, Lois Starkenburg.
She said her son, an avid jogger, was jogging when he bumped into the woman and fell to the ground.
“He told me he looked up at her and said, ‘I’m awfully sorry,’ ” and went on with his jog, his mother said. “But two guys told her he’d tried to tackle her.”
As the media splashed Starkenburg’s face on the screen, two other women came forward to say that they too were victims, as police “urged anyone who might have been a victim of “unwanted touching” anywhere in West Seattle to come forward.” Who could pass up an offer like that?
Nonetheless, Starkenburg was released on $25,000 bond, and immediately ambushed outside the courthouse by reporters.
While one might suspect that his attorney would have escorted him from the building, or at least advised him not to be goaded into answering questions and to offer nothing more than a smile and the tepid words, “my lawyer has told me not to say anything about the case,” Starkenburg talked.
What’s particularly interesting about this interview is that he’s quite articulate, despite his being dirty, tired and hungry as would any just-released defendant. The footage is raw, and his responses are raw, revealing both the anger and frustration at the charges as well as some well-founded issues with the allegations against him. Rarely do we get such an untouched, unrehearsed, uncontrolled view.
Still, the spandex comment isn’t likely to help, even if he makes a valid point.
H/T Venkat Balasubramani
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After reading the linked newspaper article it appears probable that this guy isn’t connected to the other assaults. And the fact may very well be that he merely tripped while jogging behind the woman. Witnesses such as the people jogging behind him or the people nearby with children on swings may very well testify that this is what appeared to them to have happened.
Nonetheless, [tongue in cheek] if this guy takes the stand he’s going to jail.