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Criminal Defense

MIDDLETOWN MAN ACQUITTED IN NOSE BITING ATTACK

A Middletown man who was criminally charged with biting off another man's nose in a bar fight was acquitted of all charges by a jury that decided that the accused, T.M., had acted in self-defense.  Norm tried the five-day jury trial in Monmouth County.

T.M. left the Tradewinds Nightclub in Sea Bright with three friends.  They were in the Tradewinds parking lot when the alleged victim emerged from the club with his cousin and his cousin's wife.  Words were exchanged between the cousin and T.M.  Norm Hobbie argued that the cousin punched T.M. in the face, knocking him to the ground.  The alleged victim then jumped on T.M., who remained on the ground.  In the melee, T.M. bit off part of his attacker's nose.

T.M. was charged with second and thir-degree aggravated assault, simple assault, and petty disorderly fighting.  If convicted he would have faced a mandatory 8 and 1/2 years in prison.