Jail for man in Phils game vomit-assault
July 30, 2010
PHILADELPHIA (AP)—A 21-year-old man who intentionally vomited on aspectator and his 11-year-old daughter at a Philadelphia Phillies game wassentenced Friday to up to three months in jail and community service, which thejudge suggested be fulfilled by cleaning ballpark toilets and trash.
Matthew Clemmens, of Cherry Hill, N.J., was taken into custody immediatelyafter Family Court Judge Kevin Dougherty imposed the sentence, and severalfamily members burst into sobs as he was handcuffed.
The spectator Clemmens vomited on and punched, Michael Vangelo, of Easton,said his daughter Mikayla is still traumatized.
“What really bothers me about the incident is that Mikayla refuses to talkabout it,” he testified.
The family has received offers from the team and complete strangers fortickets to future games, but “she does not want to go,” said Vangelo, anEaston police captain. He said he also has not returned to Citizens Bank Parksince the assault.
Clemmens pleaded guilty in May to charges of assault, harassment anddisorderly conduct. He admitted he stuck his fingers down his throat and vomitedon Vangelo and Mikayla at a Phillies-Nationals game on April 14.
Clemmens was sentenced to one to three months in jail, two years ofprobation and 50 hours of community service, which Dougherty suggested be servedat Citizens Bank Park. The maximum penalty was two years in jail. Publicdefender Richard Hark asked for probation.
Clemmens sobbed as he read from a statement expressing remorse for hisactions.
“I’m working every day to clear this black mark from me and my family,”Clemmens said. “Give me the opportunity to show you who I am and not who I wasthat one afternoon.”
His parents, acquaintances and grandfather—who took a 27-hour train ridefrom Florida to attend the sentencing—testified that he was a good person whovolunteers in his community and made one uncharacteristically bad mistake.
Dougherty said he believed the defendant’s apology was “feigned.”
“Superficially you present yourself one way, but outside of the home youpresent yourself another way,” Dougherty said, calling Clemmens a“mean-spirited and vulgar” young man who humiliated his family and tarnishedthe city’s reputation.
Clemmens and his friend were cursing and heckling the Vangelo family fromthe first inning. Vangelo’s 15-year-old daughter asked them to stop theprofanity around her younger sister, prompting more heckling and cursing. Thefamily was doused with beer when they rose to cheer a Phillies home run, andVangelo eventually complained to security that Clemmens’ friend was spitting,which hit his younger daughter’s jacket and seat.
After the friend was ejected, Clemmens was sitting alone when he answeredhis cell phone and said: “I need to do what I need to do. I’m going to getsick,” prosecutors said.
He then put his fingers down his throat and “projectile vomited,” Vangelosaid. He also punched Vangelo several times, causing his ear to bleed, beforebeing tackled by other spectators and arrested.
Salvatore DeAngelis, manager of Phillies ballpark security, testified theteam received thousands of calls, e-mails and letters from people asking “howsomething like this could happen.”
“Initially there was some concern that it was an unsafe place to attend agame,” he said.
Dougherty also ordered Clemmens to pay Vangelo $315, the cost of the fivetickets for him and his family to attend the game. Vangelo said he intended todonate the money to the Easton Police Athletic League.
Neither Clemmens’ family nor Vangelo would comment after the hearing. Hisdaughters were not in court. District Attorney Patrick Doyle said the victimswere satisfied with the sentence.
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