2006 Greenwich Village Assault Case - The Assault

The Assault

Accounts of the assault differ markedly.

Buckle claims he was merely trying to sell some of his DVDs on the street in Manhattan's West Village, and he innocently greeted one of the women in the group who he admired. Buckle said she smiled back, but another woman in the group responded by mocking his jeans and sneakers as "cheap." Buckle says he responded to the insult in kind, an argument ensued, whereupon one woman slapped him and another spat on him. Buckle says he spat back, then he was attacked by the group, clawed and ultimately severely cut on the abdomen.

Patreese Johnson testified that Buckle initiated the altercation by pointing to her crotch and demanding, "Let me get some of that!" as her group walked past him. She claimed she replied, "no thank you, I'm not interested in that," whereupon Buckle began following them, making more crude comments and gestures. After proclaiming themselves lesbians, Buckle threw a cigarette at them and became even more insulting, calling the group "fucking dykes" and yelled, "I'll fuck you straight, sweetheart". The group stopped and confronted him. More harsh words were exchanged, then Buckle began shoving the women, ultimately tackling and choking Renata Hill. Johnson, afraid for Hill's life, cut Buckle using a steak knife she kept in her purse for personal protection.

Two or three male bystanders, whose identities were never ascertained, intervened in the fight. The women claimed they were "Good Samaritans" acting of their own volition to assist them against their attacker. Buckle claimed the women recruited the men to attack him. One defense attorney advanced the theory that one of the intervenors, not Johnson, was the individual who actually cut Buckle.

Three of the seven women pled guilty to attempted assault and were sentenced to six months. The other four went to trial and were convicted. Two of the four convictions were overturned, the other two convictions are still pending appeal.