The family of Manuel Porties Jr. has experienced a disappointment in their quest to have the person allegedly responsible for their son’s death prosecuted. The state’s attorney’s office found that he died through mutual combat, an acceptable defense in similar cases.
Porties was killed on Sept. 28 after he got into a fight with another teen in front of a house in Schaumburg, Illinois, reported WGN9.
Although the altercation was initially a fistfight, the other teen pulled out a knife and stabbed Porties to death.
In a video recorded by an onlooker, Porties, 17, was punched in the face and fell to the ground. At that time, the 17-year-old opponent pulled out a knife and stabbed Porties in the neck.
The suspect was charged with a misdemeanor offense of unlawful use of a weapon. However, Porties’ family hoped that he would also be charged with murder in what they thought was an unfair situation.
“They’re saying that it’s mutual combat,” Manuel Porties Sr. said. “How is it mutual combat when my son didn’t have anything to combat with the only thing he had was his two hands?”
Legally, “mutual combat” is where individuals engage in a consensual physical confrontation. It can be used as a form of self-defense in situations similar to that of Porties.
The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office issued a statement explaining their finding and announcing their plans to meet with the Porties family to help them understand where the case stands.
“After an extensive review of the available information presented to us, including a discussion with the Schaumburg Police Department, we determined that the evidence was insufficient to meet our burden of proof to file murder charges,” the statement read in part.
“The guy that did this to my son… he’s a coward.,” the elder Porties said. “There’s no way that this young man should continue to live his life, and my son is gone.”
According to Illinois law, the suspect could face up to a year in jail and a hefty fine.
