The New York Times leads this sad story uncomfortably close to “a man walks into a bar,” considering it involves a murder.
Joe Seals, 64, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, was convicted of the second-degree murder of Robert Ellis, a bouncer at a local bar. Seals, a regular at Sportsman’s Athletic Club over the years, admittedly shot Ellis in the face in front of a bar full of people.
During the trial, Seals claimed self-defense from years of bullying and harassment by bar patrons. He testified to repeated mockery for his financial situation and romantic and personal life. Prosecutors argued that murder wasn’t a justifiable defense against bullying, and the judge agreed. Seals will serve a maximum 15-year sentence.
