Brabant Walloon, Belgium – A โFacebook friend โrequestโข spiraled into aโค violent altercation leaving one man blinded in one eye andโข both individuals acquitted ofโฃ assault charges, a Belgian court ruled thisโข week. The case, stemming from a โฃ2017 incident, centered โฃon accusations that Arnaud severely injured Michaรซlโข following a dispute believed โฃtoo have originated with online interactions.
Michaรซl testified he sustained devastating injuries, stating, “Given โmy wounds, I am sure โขI was still struck โwhile I was on the ground and unconscious. I had six or seven stitches atโ the backโ of the skull. I had โฃhematomas at โฃthe level of theโ face. โคCurrently I no โคlonger see anything left, I will most likely have to wear an ocular prosthesis.the skin of my face was damaged,as if you had rolled up low.” He maintained Arnaud continued the assault even after heโ was incapacitated, โขresulting in a cerebral concussion andโฃ the loss ofโ his eye. Michaรซl also reported โbroken teeth.
Tho, the Court of Appealโ persistent arnaud acted inโ self-defense, delivering onlyโ two punches.The โฃcourtโ suggestedโค Michaรซl’s head injury – the six or seven stitches to the back of the skull – likely resulted from a fall, “On the back of the head, with a possible hit on the ground, forโค exampleโ against a โborder.”
Michaรซl himself faced prosecution for firing a shot at Arnaud during the confrontation, โbut was also acquitted, with the court finding he “defended himself in โฃa proportionate way by limiting himself to a blow to Arnaud who had โคcaught him andโ glued againstโค the wall/wall.”
Despite losing an โeye,โ Michaรซl will not recieve compensation โfrom Arnaud, as the court declared itself incompetent toโ rule on damages following the acquittal. The โeight-year legal battleโ concluded โwith both men clearedโ of wrongdoing, a dramatic outcomeโข following a disputeโฃ initially sparked by a simple social media connection.
