VIDEO: 64-year-old man dies days after being punched in Sonoma altercation; suspect charged
SONOMA, Calif. (KGO) -- A 64-year-old man has died days after a fight at Sonoma Plaza that ended with him being punched and knocked unconscious.
New video shows the moments leading up to the altercation on Monday, September 7 where a man identified as John Avila was in a verbal confrontation with four other individuals.
The interaction escalates before Avila is struck and knocked unconscious. Avila died Sunday, September 20.
One of the four men involved is now facing involuntary manslaughter and battery charges. ABC7 Eyewitness News is not identifying the suspect because he has not yet appeared in court.
"This case is a prosecutor's nightmare when you look at this video," Bay Area legal analyst Steven Clark said.
The video has since gone viral, where Avila can be heard saying "I want to die," multiple times, along with a racial slur. Clark said the footage is only one piece of evidence and that prosecutors will likely seek additional evidence before the case goes to court.
Based solely on the video, Clark said he would not be surprised if a jury found the defendant's actions reasonable.
"When the victim is making statements like 'I want to die', using then a provocative racial slur and approaching the person who got arrested, that person has the right to take reasonable steps to defend themselves," Clark said.
The Sonoma Police Department requested that the blogger who posted the video take it down. The blogger declined, saying the footage was part of his reporting.
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At Sonoma Plaza on Tuesday night, Cathy Martinson, who knew Avila personally and said she is best friends with his sister, reacted after seeing the video for the first time.
"He didn't deserve this. Nobody does," Martinson said.
Martinson described the situation as surreal.
"That's the worst part about it is when you know somebody like that who is such a kind person," Martinson said.
She said the incident has affected more than just Avila's family and friends, adding that many people in Sonoma have been shocked by what happened.
"I think it's hurtful for the people of Sonoma...because we're just not used to this kind of goings on," Martinson said.
As of Tuesday night, records showed the suspect had been released from jail.
