His Silence Mistaken, Deaf Man Attacked

[JODO 2]

His Silence Mistaken, Deaf Man Attacked

By ALEX BRANCH

Star-Telegram staff writer

FORT WORTH -- A store cashier struck a deaf customer in the head with a crowbar after he mistook the man's silence for rudeness and disrespect, police said.

The cashier, Ricky Benard Young, 20, faces a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

The customer, Cody Goodnight, 31, suffered "a large knot" on his head during the incident, which occurred Saturday at the Family Dollar Store at 4117 E. Lancaster Ave.

"I can't believe someone would hit him for not speaking," said Goodnight's mother, Kay Goodnight. "When you're deaf, you don't make a point of starting conversations with people."

Young's defense attorney, Mark Scott, said Thursday that he was recently assigned the case and declined to comment.

Kay Goodnight called police after her injured son returned home from the store late Saturday morning. Family members translated Cody Goodnight's story to officers using sign language.

Goodnight said went to the Family Dollar several blocks from their house to buy a soft drink for his 5-year-old son. Inside the store, he put the soda on the counter to pay.

The cashier tried to speak to him but got angry when Goodnight didn't respond, Goodnight told police. The cashier threw Goodnight's change at him, scattering it on the floor.

As Goodnight picked it up, the cashier hit him in the side of the head with the crowbar, Goodnight said.

Officers went to the store, where Young immediately asked if they were there about what "happened earlier," said Lt. Dean Sullivan, a police spokesman. The cashier told officers that he had tried to start a friendly conversation with Goodnight but that Goodnight wouldn't acknowledge him.

At one point, Young told officers, Goodnight mumbled something that Young thought was racial in nature, Sullivan said. Young told officers he struck Goodnight because he thought Goodnight was going to assault him.

After officers told Young that Goodnight was deaf and unable to communicate verbally, Young responded "Oh," Sullivan said.

"Upon further investigation, it appeared the suspect became frustrated when the victim wouldn't respond or acknowledge his attempts to converse," Sullivan said. "He became outraged and struck the victim in an unwarranted attack."

The store's surveillance tape was erased or taped over prior to officers' arrival, Sullivan said.

A corporate spokesman for the Family Dollar Store did not return a phone message Thursday.

Cody Goodnight was treated at the hospital for his injury but still has pain in his head and neck, Kay Goodnight said Thursday.

Deaf since the age of 2, when he suffered a high fever, Goodnight speaks in guttural sounds -- "deaf speak" as his mother calls it.

His stepfather, Barry Adair, said Goodnight doesn't like talking to people he doesn't know.

"He gets embarrassed because people make fun of the way he talks," Adair said. "He's not trying to be rude or unfriendly. You just can't understand him unless you're around him a lot."

Emily Robinson, a Fort Worth deafness resource specialist, said that while it is unusual for a deaf person to be attacked physically, misunderstandings are common. People sometimes take deaf people for rude when they are unresponsive, she said. "It is a really big problem," Robinson said. "Businesses should be professional and sensitive to deaf people. There are training workshops about the deaf culture and what to expect in interactions with us."

http://www.star-telegram.com/metro_news/story/257747.html

[Ban Hammer 14,569]

After officers told Young that Goodnight was deaf and unable to communicate verbally, Young responded "Oh," Sullivan said.

[pedroh 21]

omg what a terrible thing.. i feel really bad for that kid.. yeah, lots of companies don't really give you a lot of training of how to train deaf/mute people.. they only tell u about it once or twice, and that's it.. I remember a lady that used to go to the store that was mute, and could speak some words in spanish only (she also knew ASL)..

[Scott & Lai 12]

After officers told Young that Goodnight was deaf and unable to communicate verbally, Young responded "Oh," Sullivan said.

So, I guess if Goodnight hadn't been deaf, then clubbing him with a crowbar would have been appropriate?

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

His Silence Mistaken, Deaf Man Attacked

At one point, Young told officers, Goodnight mumbled something that Young thought was racial in nature, Sullivan said. Young told officers he struck Goodnight because he thought Goodnight was going to assault him.

The old 'pick-up-your-change-because-the-clerk-threw-it-at-you' trick. I've seen it many times. Good thing Young was on his toes.

[JVKn'CVO 11]

Imagine if we all went around hitting everyone who's rude in the head with a crowbar...

Saludos,

Caro

[Jasman0717 9]

That was kind if idiotic

[pervez 4]

omg what a terrible thing.. i feel really bad for that kid.. yeah, lots of companies don't really give you a lot of training of how to train deaf/mute people.. they only tell u about it once or twice, and that's it.. I remember a lady that used to go to the store that was mute, and could speak some words in spanish only (she also knew ASL)..

NO ONE needs training to recognise that beating people with crowbars and literally throwing change at your customers is never acceptable. Unless you want to define upbringing/raising people as training, and in that case it is provided by parents not by their employers. Hence no employer needs to give training on common sense as this!

So what if a customer is not being talkative? There's not always a desire to yabber on about topics both you and the store clerk could really not care less about, in a conversation neither one will remember through their lifes. The quickest way to end a conversation is by not taking part

Hopefully this badly raised troubled store clerk will get some time in the rock, my fear is that instead of giving him 3-4 months which would teach him humility and respect, the grand state of Texas will lock him up for 15-20 years and thereby not accomplishing anything except wasting tax payers money.

Edited October 7, 2007 by pervez

[Ban Hammer 14,569]

Imagine if we all went around hitting everyone who's rude in the head with a crowbar...

Saludos,

Caro

just people that can hear, apparently deaf people are off limits

[almaty 19]

terrible ..a chopf##k with a crowbar and no intelligence