The Case of Michael Mette

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Sep 30, 2008 9:00PM

It's been a strange tale for Chicago Police officer Michael Mette. In October 2005, while visiting his brother in Dubuque, Iowa, Mette - who was off-duty at the time - got into a fight with 20-year-old Jake Gothard and punched him, breaking Gothard's nose, cheek and jaw. In 2007, Mette was convicted of assault and sentenced to five years. In September, Mette asked for a dismissal of his charge from the Iowa’s Court of Appeals; a ruling could be issued as early as tomorrow. Some of Mette's more high-ranking supporters include Mayor Richard Daley, Cook County State's Attorney Richard Devine, Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis. Recently, Brenna Ehrlich of Windy Citizen exchanged correspondence with Mette and asked him about the fight, his trial, and his current incarceration. Of his sentence, Mette says:

I am in prison right now because of the corruption inside a Dubuque courthouse. Just read the Judge’s ruling and then Iowa’s code 704.3. How can anyone, let alone a Judge, tell someone, “I understand that you were attacked by this person, but you had no right to defend yourself.” This case has never made much sense to me. Why have laws set in place if we are not wiling to abide by them? And if we cannot trust those who govern to uphold these laws then should we not put someone else in office?