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Greenwood
Commonwealth
- Tuesday, 8
June 2010
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- Bouncer
says he was defending himself in fight
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- A Greenwood
bouncer charged Thursday with aggravated assault and simple
assault in a confrontation at a pool hall says he was only
defending himself.
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Joe Gentry, 32,
was arrested Thursday in connection with a May 30 incident
at Jailbirds Pool Hall on Lamar Street. He is accused of
striking Gresham Gregg, a patron there.
Gregg was still in the Intensive Care Unit at the University
of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson this morning.
Gentry said he was acting as floor manager and doorman at
Jailbirds when Gregg came in near closing time. He said he
had been working there a few days and was hired to make sure
that “nothing got started” at Jailbirds.
Gentry said he and Gregg argued and Gregg threatened to kill
him.
He said there
were two separate incidents in which he punched Gregg in the
jaw — once inside the pool hall and once on the sidewalk
outside. Following the second altercation, he said, Gregg
collapsed, hitting his head on the pavement.
Gentry denies hitting Gregg on the head or forehead.
He also said Gregg is an ex-Marine skilled in hand-to-hand
combat and is known at several businesses as being a
difficult customer.
“I hate that this happened to him, but he threatened my
life. I defended myself as a bouncer,” he said.
In fact, Gentry
said, he went to the police May 31 to explain what had
happened at Jailbirds.
He vigorously disputes the police incident report, which
said he assaulted a woman who accompanied Gregg to the pool
hall. He said he never touched her or pursued her.
“What kind of man would I be if I hit a woman?” he asked.
Gentry’s bond was set at $50,000 for the aggravated assault
charge relating to Gregg and $1,000 for the simple assault
charge involving the woman.
He said friends
pooled cash to bail him out of jail.
Gentry said the disclosure of his home address in Sunday’s
paper, which is standard for all those charged with crimes,
has made him a target for threats by family and friends of
Gregg.
Gentry said he sends his apology to Gregg and his family.
“I want to let everyone know that I was defending myself. I
want the people to know that I did not push that girl,” he
said.
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