Shocking video: karate black belt almost beats man who does not wnt to fight to death

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[Maarten De Queecker]

The video itself is pretty old but:

link
(http://www.livevideo.com/video/520A80743A794A2DA4FA4E3B438A9789/bobby-joe-blythe-lets-his-blac.aspx)

This is just appalling.. I really have no words for this. I'm disgusted.

Edit: bullshido.net is pretty much on to this.

[Flintstone]

Hijos de mala puta.

[CarlRylander]

It's not THAT bad. There's not much blood. Worse could happen to anybody on the street and often does.

I know one Taekwondo bloke who had his nose broken three times whilst getting his green belt.

[Maarten De Queecker]

Erm.. pretty harmless person got beaten while he was already down and having repeatedly said he didn't want to fight. Please watch it with sound.

[CarlRylander]

I wouldn't say he didn't want to fight, initially. OK, you shouldn't kick a man when he's down, but how often does it happen in the street? I've seen Hapkido videos where one follows up a pin or a throw with a punch while someone is on the ground.

[CarlRylander]

Of course, Aikidoists should behave better, but you should be aware that it could happen to you. I've had my head stamped on when I was on the floor and surrendering.

[DonMagee]

Not that bad!!!

That was attempted murder!

The man was out cold then was repeatably stomped on the head. Severe head trauma like that can cause brain damage or death. That's not getting roughed up with some broken bones, that is his skull. If that guy lived, he was lucky.

When a man is unconscious and you start stomping on his head there is only one reason you are doing it, you want to kill him. Charges should be brought on the man in question for attempted murder (or murder if the guy died from his injuries).

They jumped a guy who was obviously off his rocker and he fought back (at this point you could say mutual combat as he did not try to flee) and then continued to fight after he conceded defeat and was trying to leave (assault and battery), then after he was out cold and unable to defend himself he was repeatedly stomped on the skull until blood was running out of his nose and mouth (a very bad sign) and his body was limp (attempted murder). At that point they dragged him out and he left a pool of blood followed by a trail of blood all the way to the outside. I believe that if he would of beaten that karataka that the instructor and other students would have jumped him and gang beat him into the ground. In fact you can see the other students help the karataka when they force him into the back corner. This is what leads to him going out.

For anyone who thinks that was minor, would you want to train in a school where sparring matches don't stop just because one person is out cold? Would it be acceptable in your school to ignore taps and just break bones or choke guys out in kata? These guys are thugs and criminals, nothing more. They deserve nothing better then a nice place behind bars to practice their defense against people their own size. Yes, people punch or kick downed opponents all the time. It happens in MMA (pride face stomps for the win!). The difference here is that he was out cold when he was getting face stomped. There is a very good chance that man suffered a brain injury from those stomps. His breathing changed, his body went from a stiff out to a limp out, and a poster on bullshido noticed he might of started to become 'erect' which is a very bad sign (it indicates a spinal injury). I also think he started to convulse before going limp.

Well adjusted responsible adults would not of stood for that. They would have called the police when the guy showed, not pick a fight with him. And those watching the fight are at fault for not leaving or attempting to stop the fight. In short, everyone in that video is not worthy of the title of human.

[Joe Bowen]

I agree with Don. That is sinister.

[Hogan]

The older instructor, Billie Joe (he also goes by Bobby Joe), is selling his plane:
http://www.trade-a-plane.com/clsfdspecs/792879

That sort of behavior sickens me. On other threads from other sites, this update is given:
"The 6 people that were a part of this have closed their youtube accounts as well as their facebook and myspace accounts. As the bullshido community found out more about them all of them went into hiding. At one point Bill Joe Blythe(the teacher at the incident) made a post on the Bullshido site saying that their isnt anything anyone can do at this point intime. Later his Ip number was traced. I think that community means business, considering a good number of them are police officers and lawyers."

[lbb]

Oh, those horrible awful violent karate people, not like us peaceful enlightened aikidoka.

[gdandscompserv]

I hope some attorneys will offer pro-bono help to the victim. A healthy lawsuit is in order here.

[salim]

One word, "THUGS."

[Maarten De Queecker]

I hope some attorneys will offer pro-bono help to the victim. A healthy lawsuit is in order here.

I don't know.. It happened 25 years ago. Here in Belgium, such things get statute-barred after 20 years. Anyhow props to the bullshido community (never thought that I would ever say that) for tracking down those people. They sure mean business. The fact that they are deleting their facebook accounts etc. means that they actually are guilty.

[gregstec]

absolutely criminal -

[Rabih Shanshiry]

That was utterly disgusting and vile. I hope the guy lived after that -- there was a pretty big pool of blood accumulating under his head.

Those guys will get their's one day. Karma is a b-----.

[Hogan]

Someone posted another update on another site:

"... left a voicemail with the cold case detective at PWC PD, but I did speak to an Officer Humphreys at Dumfries PD. He was sent a link to the video, possibly by another Bully, and told me that the department is looking into the incident. He told me that the current chief of police for Dumfries PD was with PWC PD in 1984 and might have first-hand knowledge of the incident, or at least know someone who did. He said the chief was out of town on vacation but that he would definitely look into the matter when he returned and would find out if the incident had already been investigated by PWC PD as they would have had jurisdiction back in 1984. Judging by the conversation I had with the dispatcher and Officer Humphreys, this video appears to be the talk of the department, which I would think is a good thing.

As far as prosecution goes, the Dumfries PD will forward its findings to the PWC DA's office and the DA will determine if there is sufficient evidence to file charges...."

[mathewjgano]

yeah...that's pretty pathetic. What more can really be said beyond what Don did? I'm betting the big bad-ass got his ego hurt when the other dude didn't get handled like he thought he would...stumbling a bit probably didn't help it much either. Anyway, i hope those chumps get what they deserve...that's seriously messed up.

[ninjaqutie]

I didn't think it was that bad... until the end! That is just aweful! That was above and beyond what was called for. Now, I must say that I didn't listen to it with sound, so I have no idea as to what was said or agreed to.

As an aside, in my aikijitsu class, we were always taught to finish an opponent. By this I mean that after a throw or technique, we always followed up with something else (a punch to the ribs, knee to the groin, etc). This takes that a bit far though.... uck.

[mathewjgano]

I didn't think it was that bad... until the end! That is just aweful! That was above and beyond what was called for. Now, I must say that I didn't listen to it with sound, so I have no idea as to what was said or agreed to.


The sound doesn't do much except make the criminals look worse.

[Josh Reyer]

At first I thought, "Jeez, a real life John Kreese of the Cobra-kai." But my blood turned cold at the words, "Drag him out the back door." My God, I try to be a sympathetic person, but that "sensei" and his black belt need to be practicing their karate in jail for a long time. Had Blythe been emotionally discombabulated I might have chalked it up nerves and stress from the incident, but he was as cool and cold as a reptile. And then the cold recording of the blood trail. There is only one word in the English language to describe that, one as old as the language itself: evil.

And this wasn't even an on-the-up dojo sparring challenge. The man talked about demonstrating kata or some moves, and only took to fighting after the black belt attacked him without any provocation. I'm almost wondering if Carl saw the same video everyone else did.

[gdandscompserv]

There is speculation that the date given by the narrator may be incorrect, or even given for the sole purpose of protecting his own arse through the statute of limitations.

There was a homeless/transient perhaps drug addicted woman that wondered into my dojo after class one day. Upon seeing us in our Gi's she said, "Karate? I know karate." She then proceeded to perform some type of "kata" that involved revealing her pantiless bottom half. My 15 year old son was with me at the time.:eek: I kindly escorted her out of the dojo as we were closing. I felt more like buying her some clothes than I did beating here senseless. And in fact if I would have had some money on me I would have given her some. Really, Bobby Blythe gives Marines and budoka a VERY bad name. My wish is that he rots in hell.:grr:

[Walter Martindale]

Maybe both of them (the "sensei" and his thug) have met up with street justice... It would be a good thing... "Hi - I'd like to show some kata." "OK, let's start with a kick in the crotch."
a**holes... If they didn't meet street justice, I hope they met up with the real justice system. As Don said, that wasn't a dojo demo or even a dojo challenge, that was at the very least attempted murder.
In Canuck land it would be called assault with intent or something like that.
Walter

[ChrisHein]

While teaching class, with the door open I have, more then one evening had a mentally handicapped person wonder in and tell me about how they were a martial arts expert.

I have never had even the slightest urge to harm them, or put them in harms way. I wouldn't ask them to address the class, or to try and put them down by asking them to show me their martial prowess. This alone is unbecoming of a martial artist.

Further, I would not allow someone who actually asked for it, to take a beating like that in my school, little lone someone asking that it be stopped. It's very unbecoming of a martial artist.

To compound matters, the Karate "black belt" shown beating up the young man is not much better at fighting, then a mentally challenged person. He shows no fighting ability, and no self control. Very unbecoming of a martial artist.

Beyond whatever moral issues you may have with what is happening, the whole encounter shows a complete lack of martial integrity.

[Buck]

This is a testament to why martial arts should not be taught to just anyone, and why character is so important. That dojo was sickening, and pathetic, lacking any and all character of any of the individuals. The sensei is not worthy to all himself anything thing other then a low-life scum. His students are no better. The are all a disgrace as humans, and don't deserve to be call martial arts. Under no circumstances was that dojo's actions justified. A clear indication of Blythe's poor training, and judgement. And his lack of understanding of martial arts.
:mad: :disgust:

The mentally challenged man faired well to a point, against the hack so called black belt. A poor excuse of a man simply no better than a poorly trained attack dog.

The criminal acts just piled up. The fight was allowed to go too far, no medical aid was rendered to the injured, or any regard to the injured, the injured was dragged out of the building and into the street - God's what they did to him after that.

What is just as ugly as the beating is the text book gang/pack mentality of the "student" who will follow one self-proclaimed individual ( nut-case ) without thinking for themselves.

I agree with Chris Hein, there is no reason that fight should have too place. IMO, it was for Blythe's warped sense of self- importance. Completely and easily avoidable.

You have to have serious issues to partake in, support, and allow such a thing cowardly thing to happen.

Martial arts should not be taught to such demented degenerates of poor character, as Blythe and his back-ward minions. But, they are, and this is why they shouldn't. I guess money changes everything. :yuck:

Yea, it angered me.

[K. Abrams]

Oh, those horrible awful violent karate people, not like us peaceful enlightened aikidoka.

No, this has nothing to do with karate. The Bobby Joe guy is psychopathic. If you read his description of the video in his original posting of it, he brags about planning to set up and trash that poor man who is obviously emotionally disabled.

Anyone who would entrap a mentally disabled person who didn't want to fight to begin with (he only wanted to show his forms), is a sicko.

[Buck]

I hope this wasn't staged. And if it was nothing changes in my comments.

[d2l]

I find this punks actions disgusting. :crazy:

[thisisnotreal]

whoah. crazy how people expect anonymity thru the interweb. why would he post it. for the record; criminal negligence 20 years.
while i'm generally happy at my fellow man's outrage in this; and the general way it is seemingly going to be played out (e.g. investigated ,etc)..i can't help but pause and wonder about the repercussions of internet web posse justice; i think this one is clear; but paranoid that I am I would consider to see that this is not staged. but if it were? whew. dunno. crazy thought. yeah hmm. fragile reality.

and as to the question of evil:
If a word means what it means; there has to be a definition of evil. it is real.
and what we saw on that tape was the evil in those men.
black. darkness.
was quite horrible.

[CarlRylander]

I'm sorry, you guys, I didn't realise it was that bad. I didn't realise the blood coming out of his nose was a bad sign. Of course, a trained martial artist shouldn't be doing this. I'm a little enured to it. Where in a lot of places, five onto one, or two onto one, is regarded as fair and normal and right and you always kick someone when they are down, as a way of humiliating them and hammering home the fact that you are the victor. It happens in a lot of places, and in a lot of places in Britain. I certainly wouldn't do it. I would be a little enthusiastic with some of my pressure point applications and holds, and I might try an incapaciting atemi, if I was attacked in the street! I would not do it in a dojo, of course.

Surely you should be aware that this happens on the stree a lot? If you read the papers!

[Ron Tisdale]

Sorry, but I can't see the fact that the "North Philly Stomp" happens a lot mitigating these circumstances one bit.

People get raped during war a lot...especially now in certain parts of Africa. That doesn't make it any easier to hear about or see. At least not for me.

Best,
Ron

[K. Abrams]

If we lost our sense of horror, what a sad commentary that would be about the state of our humanity.

[CarlRylander]

Ok, but you should be aware that it happens.

What if you saw this happening on the street, and the perpetrator turned on you, next? You might be so shocked and stunned that your responses would be slower and you would end up like the last guy.

[batemanb]

It's not THAT bad. There's not much blood. Worse could happen to anybody on the street and often does.

What were you watching? There was way too much blood, and it didn't happen in the street.

The guy that got beaten was only trying to demonstrate his kata, said he wasn't going to hit the guy, but the "black belt" launched into him, using the term "motherf*!%er" whilst hitting him.

No place for these people. I sincerely hope they get some sort of come uppence as they are just plain evil, that shoul dbe everyone in the room at the time.

[batemanb]

Where I come from, five onto one, or two onto one, is regarded as fair and normal and right and you always kick someone when they are down, as a way of humiliating them and hammering home the fact that you are the victor. It's normal where I come from, and in a lot of places in Britain.

Not aware of it happening that often round my way (also UK), where the hell do you live? Make sure I stay away from there.....

[batemanb]

I'm sorry, you guys, I didn't realise it was that bad. I didn't realise the blood coming out of his nose was a bad sign.

Any blood coming out of the head is a bad sign, especially aa a result of a beating. When he got kicked in the head, there was a load clang as his head hit that rail, there was a pool of blood under his head at that point, coupled with the trail of blood leading out, not convinced it was all from his nose ........

[CarlRylander]

Bullying is an art form in a lot of places and there is a caste system too. Chavs are the ruling class and have incredible power over the social services. If you get into a fight with one of them and you don't deliberately lose, you can find yourself in big trouble, both with the authorities and with their dozens if not hundreds of mates.

It's why I've put off taking up any sort of MA for so long. I might be better off where I am.

I'ts sort of like a 'planet of the apes' scenario.

I've been to Milton Keynes and I loved it. Not at all hostile to intelligent lifeforms!

[Ron Tisdale]

Ok, but you should be aware that it happens.

Sorry, I don't see what being aware that it happens has to do with not accepting it as acceptable. Complete disconnect there for me.

What if you saw this happening on the street, and the perpetrator turned on you, next? You might be so shocked and stunned that your responses would be slower and you would end up like the last guy.

??? That does happen, but where is the link between me being horrified that people treat each other like that and saying it is wrong, and me freezing when I need to defend myself? Especially if you train yourself NOT to freeze when adversity hits home?

An American mayor just went through something like that. He ended up in the hospital, but he redirected the anger toward himself, and away from women and children. He didn't freeze, got a couple of shots in as a matter of fact. It still ended badly for him. As far as I know, he doesn't even train in anything, but he still didn't freeze.

I just don't get what you are saying...maybe it's just me.

Best,
Ron

[CarlRylander]

I have a book on Aikido by my bedside. I have a hundred or so sayings of Ueshiba on my PC. I think he has said you have to be prepared for all situations, in various forms, quite a few times. This might be one of them, though it really should originate from a street surveillance cam and not a dojo and in the world Aikidoists want, not at all.

I'm glad you wouldn't let if affect your responses.

My Glaswegian uncle saw someone get pushed underneath a tram once, in a gang war.

[crbateman]

That is disgusting. Reprehensible. The "instructor" set up an obviously confused and ill-prepared individual, and taped the "demonstration" to further his own twisted agenda. There is nothing glorious or proud in this episode. Human beings are supposed to be more evolved than this. This was animalistic.

[Ron Tisdale]

and in the world Aikidoists want, not at all.

Frankly, my revulsion has nothing what so ever to do with what I, as an aikidoka want. Not one of the kung fu, karate or tai kwan do instructors that I have had would put up with that sort of behavior. Or any of my family or friends.

Best,
Ron

[Lorel Latorilla]

I'm sorry, you guys, I didn't realise it was that bad. I didn't realise the blood coming out of his nose was a bad sign. Of course, a trained martial artist shouldn't be doing this. I'm a little enured to it. Where I come from, five onto one, or two onto one, is regarded as fair and normal and right and you always kick someone when they are down, as a way of humiliating them and hammering home the fact that you are the victor. It's normal where I come from, and in a lot of places in Britain. I certainly wouldn't do it. I would be a little enthusiastic with some of my pressure point applications and holds, and I might try an incapaciting atemi, if I was attacked in the street! I would not do it in a dojo, of course.

Surely you should be aware that this happens on the stree a lot? If you read the papers!

Ok ok ok we get it, you're a tough guy that comes from a place where beating down mentally handicapped people (that don't want to fight) close to death is normal. We get your point.

[DonMagee]

I'm sorry, you guys, I didn't realise it was that bad. I didn't realise the blood coming out of his nose was a bad sign. Of course, a trained martial artist shouldn't be doing this. I'm a little enured to it. Where I come from, five onto one, or two onto one, is regarded as fair and normal and right and you always kick someone when they are down, as a way of humiliating them and hammering home the fact that you are the victor. It's normal where I come from, and in a lot of places in Britain. I certainly wouldn't do it. I would be a little enthusiastic with some of my pressure point applications and holds, and I might try an incapaciting atemi, if I was attacked in the street! I would not do it in a dojo, of course.

Surely you should be aware that this happens on the stree a lot? If you read the papers!

Simple math

Punched in the nose and it bleeds = normal and safe

Kneed in the back of the skull and your head is stomped into the ground and blood comes out of your mouth/nose and you are choking on your own blood = not normal, very unsafe, you are probably going to die.

There is every indication in that film that the man who was attacked would probably die without medical treatment, or at least be handicapped for life.

[Michael Douglas]

Well, thanks for posting the link to the vid page, that was great.
As far as I can see and hear, everything up to the clang was fair and above board for a no-rules altercation between two muppet point-fighters with no balance and no grappling ability. Lucky for the chunky guy he had also practised hitting things so some of the time when he hit the lanky guy something was achieved. His basic advantage was bodyweight and not having goofy kung fu moves, rather than any fighting ability. He'd have done far far better with boxing or wrestling.

The (CLANG!) metal stand and base, and the sick stomp afterward were taking things way too far .. and the chunky guy was hauled off his opponent when the folks saw what a sicko he was being ...

I'm sure Carl isn't condoning the street-assault attitudes he has observed, just reporting. I'm sure he's right.
I stay away from the city centres on weekend nights for the same reasons.

[ninjaqutie]

I know this is a bit random, but was the title to this thread changed?

[Darryl Cowens]

Happens on the street a lot?... possibly.. but if this is what goes on in dojos, then give the addresses of where not to go, because I'm not going near those dojos.

The victim of the assault clearly isn't of a 'normal' state of mind... whether it is a mental handicap, or he is wasted on drugs isn't clear, and is up for speculation.. either way, the instructor took advantage of that state of mind, and orchestrated the entire foul scenario for his own giggles.

They guy had no interest in fighting... He wanted to show them some 'kata' , not fight.. I could accept some gentle sparring, but the other guy took to him like it was a full contact fight with no rules from the word go... and his actions when he was down on the ground was sickening... no other word for it..

Anyway, as the OP noted... bullshido.net is well onto it, and I believe it has been handed on to legal authorities... I did some reading online yesterday, and the general feeling across a lot of forums is one of disgust... both the sensei and the attacker have been named.... allegedly the original source of the video was from youtube page of the sensei... and these were the comments he added to the page:

This dummy was in my shopping center while I was on a Bodyguard Job in Washington, DC. This guy was in the Pizza Hut eating pizza off the plates of others and the Pizza Hut Manager ran him out with a pistol. Later the very same day, police officers were called to remove him from a nearby pharmacy after having been caught reaching into customer's purses. A short time after that, he visited a Napa Auto Parts store next to my Karate Dojo and told the management he planned on teaching in that Dojo and that Jesus taught him.

The Napa guys told him he was confused (their polite way of warning the man against such action), but not wanting to miss a show, they told the man they would close early just to watch and that he must not know the owner, which is nobody to play with.. Needless to say, the police pulled him out of the dumpster behind my Karate Dojo where he was neatly placed. Semper Fi to all my Marine brothers. The karate student in the white is also a Marine Sgt. and a brand new Black Belt. Never get stupid with a Marine, you could get jacked up and have your clock stopped.

There is even a printscreen jpg of the offending youtube page with comments that confirm this. Dunno about anyone else, but that makes me kinda sick to the stomach...

[thisisnotreal]

Simple math

Punched in the nose and it bleeds = normal and safe

Kneed in the back of the skull and your head is stomped into the ground and blood comes out of your mouth/nose and you are choking on your own blood = not normal, very unsafe, you are probably going to die.

There is every indication in that film that the man who was attacked would probably die without medical treatment, or at least be handicapped for life.

for the record: also learned that seeing straw coloured liquid is the worst thing to see leaking through the nose or mouth. that is brain sac fluid. and it may look like snot..which wouldn't even 'look' as bad as blood, in a vid clip or in real life. fwiw

Oh yeah. I liked how you wrote that post Don. QFT. That other dude Karl, had to know that though, no? stomp is one thing. stomp with a hardstop concrete pillow feedbacking the force into his skull and cracking it has to be serious. oy. human body can only be so tough.

[Al Gutierrez]

Very disturbing. I hope that justice is eventually served.

[CarlRylander]

Ok ok ok we get it, you're a tough guy that comes from a place where beating down mentally handicapped people (that don't want to fight) close to death is normal. We get your point.

Actually, where I come from, I'm regarded as being a wimp of wimps, cos I wouldn't stand and whoop this sort of thing on. I DO think Ueshiba said you should prepare yourself for all situations. This sort of thing happens. My great-grandather was an illegal bare- fist boxer and I bet he saw worse.

To be fair, kicking someone when they're on the ground is regarded as normal, but half-killing someone is regarded as wrong, even where I am. People would be upset. I'm glad that people pointed out the blood from the nose bit and the loud crack.

It's got no place in any decent MA dojo, the worst that should happen is that an incapacitating throw to the floor shoold be followed up by a 'fake' blow or punch, to make people aware this could happen in the street.

[gdandscompserv]

It's got no place in any decent MA dojo, the worst that should happen is that an incapacitating throw to the floor shoold be followed up by a 'fake' blow or punch, to make people aware this could happen in the street.:eek:

[CarlRylander]

:eek:

Is there anything I can say without winding you up???

I've seen Hapkido videos on youtube which demonstrate this. By incapacitating, I mean a hold that you can't get out of, or you can't respond to, that leaves the thrower in a 'winning' position.

I don't do Aikido, I've just read up about it.I'm not sure I could do the ukemi. I know a Taekwondo black belt. I read the papers.

I've had my head stamped on, by a neighbour, who lived beneath me, who thought I was strange, cos I read books and didn't sit and watch TV all night. I was laughed at and told to get a head X ray when I complained about it to the police. iIve seen 'appalling' I wouldn't do it to anyone.

[K. Abrams]

Very disturbing. I hope that justice is eventually served.

I think I read that that video was made in the 1980s. So, if justice is to be served, it will be because the perpetrator had the hubris to post and boast about it on YouTube 23 years after the fact. Maybe a posse will go after him now. :disgust:

[Maarten De Queecker]

The people at bullshido.net did it: Blythe's name is all over the web, and they had a broadcasting channel make a report on the video.

As proven by 4chan before: the internet shows no merci.

[mwpowell]

Just came across this on YouTube, posted yesterday.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wObjWdQBeA4

http://www.kmph.com/global/story.asp?s=10973483

[Don_Modesto]

Just came across this on YouTube, posted yesterday.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wObjWdQBeA4

http://www.kmph.com/global/story.asp?s=10973483

Thanks very much for the links. Most of the vids I see on the internet are anonymous. I often don't even know what country they were taken in. Greatly appreciate the update.

[ninjaqutie]

Wow.. thanks for the links. I hope all of them get in trouble for it.

[Jim Sorrentino]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/30/AR2009083002251.html?sub=AR

1980s Video of Beating Gets New Life on Internet

By Josh White
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, August 31, 2009

The grainy, aged video clip begins as a bit of a joke, with the leader of a Dumfries karate dojo sarcastically introducing a local man who says he wants to teach a group of karate experts a few things. The man, who says he learned karate from Jesus Christ, steps up to spar with a black belt, but the fight quickly degrades into a vicious beating, ending with the black belt stomping the man's head until he is bleeding and falls unconscious on the floor.

The victim is then dragged out by his legs, leaving a trail of blood. Cryptic messages posted with the video online imply that the man was left to die in a dumpster after he messed with the wrong people on Dec. 13, 1984.

It leaves his fate a mystery.

The controversial video, first posted on YouTube, has gone viral over the past week, being posted and reposted on countless Web sites. Thousands of online comments opine that the man was killed and that the incident amounted to an unsolved murder. Some called for the dojo leader's head, and others alleged a police coverup. Police in Dumfries and Prince William County have fielded numerous calls from concerned people across the country and spent days trying to sort out an incident that is nearly 25 years old.

A police chief in California -- where the dojo leader now lives -- got into the act and went on local television vowing local, state and federal investigations into what he called a "cold case."

Except the case isn't cold, and the man wasn't killed. The viral video is another example of what can happen so easily on the Internet, with sketchy information leading to wild speculation -- and wild-goose chases for police.

"We appreciate that the video was sent to us and that people saw it and were concerned," said Sgt. Kim Chinn, a Prince William police spokeswoman. "This is going to happen more and more now with the Internet, and you often can't tell the times or the dates, who's in the video or if it is real or not."

Capt. Ronald Mackey of the Dumfries Police Department said that the video appears to be real but that police have confirmed that the victim was not killed, since he was interviewed after the fact.

The dojo's leader, Bobby Joe Blythe, could not be reached to comment, nor could the man with the black belt who appears in the video. Officials have not been able to determine the victim's name.

The karate video appears to be shot in the defunct dojo of Blythe, a former U.S. Marine. The small storefront dojo in an obscure Dumfries shopping mall is the same room once featured on NBC's "Today" show in the early 1980s because of Blythe's pioneering work developing female bodyguards for a company he worked with. That company's work was also featured in the New York Times in 1982.

Though long gone, the dojo is clearly the setting for the video, along with at least one other video in which Blythe tells his black belt students that they can do anything they want within the dojo. The video clip of the fight is unmistakably violent. The local man, claiming to be a priest and an expert in martial arts, says he wants to demonstrate some moves: "I just wish to teach you. I don't wish to hurt you . . . I'm not a fighter."

Blythe sarcastically talks about the man's qualifications and then steps away to let the black belt spar with him. After a few mutual blows, the black belt overpowers the man, who appears to give up -- he says, "You're good" -- before he is taken to the ground, kneed in the head, slammed into a metal pole and then stomped.

Chuck Feldbush, a retired Prince William police detective, was working a uniformed patrol beat in the Dumfries area in 1984 and said he knew Blythe and the victim. Feldbush, who could not remember the victim's name, said the man was a vagrant who lived in the woods near the dojo. The man occasionally was the target of a nuisance call, someone who would sometimes try to take food off people's plates at the Pizza Hut or steal just to get caught so he could spend some time in jail, where he would be guaranteed a roof and meals.

Feldbush saw the man in the days after the incident and noticed him limping.

"You could tell he had been beaten severely," Feldbush said. "He wasn't very cooperative and didn't want to pursue charges."

Although police had heard that there was a video of the incident, it did not turn up until years later, sometime in the 1990s. Feldbush said that if the video had surfaced in 1984, he certainly would have pursued it "as far as I could take it."

"There was some egregious behavior on that video," Feldbush said, adding that he saw it for the first time in recent days. "And it has caused a fervor because of what people have been saying about it. You have an African American male beaten into the ground and he's allegedly murdered and the police did nothing. That's as far from the truth as you can imagine. They've weaved quite a tale here."

Staff researcher Meg Smith contributed to this report.

[Marc Abrams]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/30/AR2009083002251.html?sub=AR

1980s Video of Beating Gets New Life on Internet

By Josh White
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, August 31, 2009

The grainy, aged video clip begins as a bit of a joke, with the leader of a Dumfries karate dojo sarcastically introducing a local man who says he wants to teach a group of karate experts a few things. The man, who says he learned karate from Jesus Christ, steps up to spar with a black belt, but the fight quickly degrades into a vicious beating, ending with the black belt stomping the man's head until he is bleeding and falls unconscious on the floor.

The victim is then dragged out by his legs, leaving a trail of blood. Cryptic messages posted with the video online imply that the man was left to die in a dumpster after he messed with the wrong people on Dec. 13, 1984.

It leaves his fate a mystery.

The controversial video, first posted on YouTube, has gone viral over the past week, being posted and reposted on countless Web sites. Thousands of online comments opine that the man was killed and that the incident amounted to an unsolved murder. Some called for the dojo leader's head, and others alleged a police coverup. Police in Dumfries and Prince William County have fielded numerous calls from concerned people across the country and spent days trying to sort out an incident that is nearly 25 years old.

A police chief in California -- where the dojo leader now lives -- got into the act and went on local television vowing local, state and federal investigations into what he called a "cold case."

Except the case isn't cold, and the man wasn't killed. The viral video is another example of what can happen so easily on the Internet, with sketchy information leading to wild speculation -- and wild-goose chases for police.

"We appreciate that the video was sent to us and that people saw it and were concerned," said Sgt. Kim Chinn, a Prince William police spokeswoman. "This is going to happen more and more now with the Internet, and you often can't tell the times or the dates, who's in the video or if it is real or not."

Capt. Ronald Mackey of the Dumfries Police Department said that the video appears to be real but that police have confirmed that the victim was not killed, since he was interviewed after the fact.

The dojo's leader, Bobby Joe Blythe, could not be reached to comment, nor could the man with the black belt who appears in the video. Officials have not been able to determine the victim's name.

The karate video appears to be shot in the defunct dojo of Blythe, a former U.S. Marine. The small storefront dojo in an obscure Dumfries shopping mall is the same room once featured on NBC's "Today" show in the early 1980s because of Blythe's pioneering work developing female bodyguards for a company he worked with. That company's work was also featured in the New York Times in 1982.

Though long gone, the dojo is clearly the setting for the video, along with at least one other video in which Blythe tells his black belt students that they can do anything they want within the dojo. The video clip of the fight is unmistakably violent. The local man, claiming to be a priest and an expert in martial arts, says he wants to demonstrate some moves: "I just wish to teach you. I don't wish to hurt you . . . I'm not a fighter."

Blythe sarcastically talks about the man's qualifications and then steps away to let the black belt spar with him. After a few mutual blows, the black belt overpowers the man, who appears to give up -- he says, "You're good" -- before he is taken to the ground, kneed in the head, slammed into a metal pole and then stomped.

Chuck Feldbush, a retired Prince William police detective, was working a uniformed patrol beat in the Dumfries area in 1984 and said he knew Blythe and the victim. Feldbush, who could not remember the victim's name, said the man was a vagrant who lived in the woods near the dojo. The man occasionally was the target of a nuisance call, someone who would sometimes try to take food off people's plates at the Pizza Hut or steal just to get caught so he could spend some time in jail, where he would be guaranteed a roof and meals.

Feldbush saw the man in the days after the incident and noticed him limping.

"You could tell he had been beaten severely," Feldbush said. "He wasn't very cooperative and didn't want to pursue charges."

Although police had heard that there was a video of the incident, it did not turn up until years later, sometime in the 1990s. Feldbush said that if the video had surfaced in 1984, he certainly would have pursued it "as far as I could take it."

"There was some egregious behavior on that video," Feldbush said, adding that he saw it for the first time in recent days. "And it has caused a fervor because of what people have been saying about it. You have an African American male beaten into the ground and he's allegedly murdered and the police did nothing. That's as far from the truth as you can imagine. They've weaved quite a tale here."

Staff researcher Meg Smith contributed to this report.

Jim:

With all due respect, I find that article to not answer a number of disturbing questions.

1) I think that everybody could agree that the teacher was/is a disgrace to the martial arts world at best, and most likely warrants the filing of criminal charges.

2) There are reports that some of the students in attendance and maybe the police chief's wife was in the school at the time of the incident. If that were the case, many questions regarding the police department's due diligence in pursuing that incident are still not answered.

3) If this person was psychotic, then the issue of ability to file charges is raised. That incident then should have been referred to a district attorney.

At the end of the day, a crime was clearly committed by more than one person. The person who carried out the assault, the person who authorized, encouraged and supervised the assault, and the people who did nothing to stop the assault from happening. Of course, the facts will be difficult to tease out. At a minimum, a serious investigation into the people there and the police department need to be carried out.

Marc Abrams

[Jim Sorrentino]

Hi Marc,

FWIW, I did not intend the article to be the last word on the subject. I posted it in order to get more information out to those reading the thread.

Jim

[Nikopol]

The only thing worse than the lack of morality and spirit of these two "martial artists" is Mr, Dennis' pathetic fighting "abilities". Stomping someone while screaming "motherf***er", enraged because he fell over due to his own lack of balance? I see a Japanese flag in the background. Were these numbskulls in any way accredited by a legitimate martial arts federation? While criminal charges should definitely be pursued, I can't imagine any would tolerate this.

My insight into Budo is that it teaches, as a matter of social responsibility and necessity, how not to fight, before teaching how to fight.

That is why we begin training with mokusou. Society can not tolerate or allow warriors who lack self control.

[Aikibu]

Oh, those horrible awful violent karate people, not like us peaceful enlightened aikidoka.

I don't think the Martial Arts had anything to do with this...

Karate and Aikido are tools and can be abused just like any other "weapon"

This is a case of a sociopath plain and simple and I'll bet he's dead or in jail...

I don't care how evil or badass someone is...sooner or later your number comes up.

William Hazen

[AllanF]

Well after reading what many people have written on this i finally got to see it...and i wish i hadn't.

Only one word...vile!:mad: :grr:

Hope those involved get theirs.

[Shannon Frye]

My God - the gasping for breath at the end -

Let them visit MY dojo.