Man going to jail after punching second doctor

YOUNGSTOWN

Judge Elizabeth Kobly said she could not take a chance that Julius Riley will assault another doctor at St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital, so she sentenced him to jail.

Riley, 39, and his attorney Jamie Dunn asked today in municipal court for a lighter sentence, saying that he is mentally ill and needs treatment. But Judge Kobly said she had no choice because Riley refuses to take his medication, which causes his temper to flare.

“Perhaps if you do what your doctors told you, you wouldn’t be here today,” Judge Kobly said.

Riley pleaded no contest to a charge of assault, which carries a maximum jail term of six months. He was sentenced to 60 days, with credit for 18 days served.

Riley is accused of punching a doctor in the face Feb. 16, just after a relative died. He was already on probation for punching a doctor in the psychiatric ward in September 2014 and also pleaded no contest for punching a hospital police officer in 2014. That charge was amended from an assault.

“Your mental history speaks volumes. Your history is you don’t take your meds,” Judge Kobly said. “Am I supposed to wait until Doctor No. 3 or Doctor No. 4 is punched before I lock you up?”

Read more about the case in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.