THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2008
Beating Suspect Tells Cops: I gave her 1-2 punch'
By TODD WESSELL
Journal & Topics Editor
The 37-year-old suspect accused of beating a 63-year-old Des Plaines woman at the downtown post office branch last week told police that he "gave her a 1-2 punch laying her out on the ground."
The accused, Michael McNeal of 6644 W. Maple Ct., Monee, Ill., allegedly called the woman a name and then punched her with a closed fist twice in the face. He was charged with two counts of aggravated battery and is scheduled to appear in Skokie court on Feb. 19 at 9 a.m. Bond was set at $50,000. According to Police Chief Jim Prandini, it's believed that as of early this week, McNeal was still being held in Cook County Jail.
Police last Tuesday, Jan. 22 were called to the 684 Lee St. post office in response to a fight in progress. When they arrived, they noticed the woman lying on her back on the floor with a bloody nose. A postal employee witness told police that he saw the suspect, McNeal, hit the woman with his fist twice in the face. The victim said that after McNeal called her a vulgar name while she was standing in line to be served, she placed her hand on his arm and asked him why he called her that. That's when the suspect punched the woman, reports said.
The woman was taken to Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge for treatment of bruising and swelling to her nose and larynx.
The postal witness told police that McNeal asked the woman if she was waiting in line, but that she did not hear him. The woman said she was in line after being asked a second time. Immediately after that, McNeal called the woman the name and then he punched her twice, said police. The postal worker separated the two and the woman fell to the floor.
After being taken to the police station, McNeal told his version of he story. He said that he asked the woman if she was in line. When she didn't reply, he asked the same question and she replied she was. McNeal said he felt the woman answered him "with an attitude", reports stated, so he called her a name. McNeal added that at that point, the woman turned toward him and raised her right elbow as if she was gong to strike him. "He grabbed her right elbow, then her left elbow, and gave her a 1-2 punch laying her on the ground," reports said. The suspect explained that a "1-2 punch" means he struck her first with a right closed fist and then a left closed fist.
Later, McNeal complained that his hand hurt.
McNeal, said reports, stands 6-ft., 2 inches tall and weighs 215-pounds.