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Man jailed on second assault on doctor at St. E’s
By Joe Gorman
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 Friday 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 term of six months in jail. He was sentenced to 60 days in jail with credit for 18 days served.
Riley is accused of punching a doctor in the face Feb. 16, just after a relative died. He already was 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.
Dunn asked Judge Kobly for a sentence of house arrest with probation and mental-health counseling. He said his client was not taking his medication the day he punched the doctor and that the justice system does not have a place for someone such as Riley, who needs treatment for his mental health. Dunn also said that a condition of Riley’s illness is that he would sometimes refuse to listen to others or follow courses of treatment.
Riley said since he was arrested he has been on his medication and now he also is on the right mix of medication.
“I’m doin’ it, I’m doin’ it, I’m doin’ it,” Riley repeated. “I have so much to live for.”
Judge Kobly said she was in a tough spot because of Riley’s condition, but she added that because of his past history of refusing to take his medications, there was no other option to protect people from being injured by Riley if he ignores that advice again.
“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?”
The doctor who was punched told the judge he was not injured seriously, but was bleeding. When the judge told the doctor Riley has done this before and the maximum sentence was six months in jail, the doctor said he could live with that.
“I understand this is not the first time, so I think it should be like that,” the doctor said.
Besides the jail sentence, Riley also was given three years’ probation with orders to take his medications and get counseling. When Riley would not be quiet, he was given an additional 10 days in jail for contempt of court. The remainder of the sentence is suspended but could be reimposed if Riley violates his probation.