Jury Finds Palatine Man Not Guilty in One-Punch Murder Case

A jury found a Palatine man not guilty of first-degree murder Friday for the death of a 26-year-old Palatine man he punched outside a bar last July, according to the Chicago Tribune.

The family of Ryan Flannigan, the Palatine man who died 10 days following the punch last summer, burst into sobs in the courtroom after the verdict was read, the newspaper reports.

“It’s just not fair. I don’t know how this could have happened,” Flannigan’s mother, Debra Flannigan, told the Chicago Tribune.

The jury was not given the option to consider a lesser charge in the case, the Daily Herald reports.

The jury, consisting of five women and seven men, was asked to decide if Platt was guilty of first-degree murder for delivering what prosecutors said was a ”sucker punch” following an argument between Flannigan’s female friend and a male friend in Platt’s group on July 18 at 11:30 p.m., according to an earlier Daily Herald article.

The defense called the murder charge “overzealous” and contended Platt never intended to hurt Flannigan, according to the article.

But the prosecution in its closing arguments said the murder charge was necessary in what they referred to as a “vicious, cowardly attack,” the newspaper reports.

“Ask yourself,” Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Kristin Piper said in the Daily Herald article. “did the defendant perform the act that killed Ryan Flannigan? Of course he did ... The defendant picked out the smallest guy ... the guy who wasn’t causing any trouble ... the guy who was looking the other way and couldn’t defend himself.”

The above information was updated at 8 p.m. on July 5.

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The brain surgeon who treated Ryan Flannigan of Palatine after he was punched outside a bar last July said his injuries were devastating and that he likely lost consciousness before he even hit the ground, the Chicago Tribune reports.

Dr. John Ruge, chief of neurosurgery at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, took the stand during the second day of testimony for the murder trial of Michael Platt, 32, who is accused of delivering the punch that lead to Flannigan’s death, according to the article.

Ruge testified that Flannigan suffered a fracture in his eye socket, a broken nose, loss of vision and “horrible” brain swelling and also a brain fracture from when his head hit the pavement, the newspaper reports.

“This was a severe head injury,” said Ruge in a Daily Herald article. “The magnitude of this injury was such that he had no purposeful movement on his right side and minimal movement on his left side.”

During cross-examination by the defense, Ruge said Flannigan’s blood-alcohol level was .235 and that his intoxication level could have affected his balance, reaction time and judgment, according to the Daily Herald.

Testimony will continue Thursday in the case.

Read more in the Chicago Tribune or Daily Herald.

The above information was updated on June 4.

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ORIGINAL POST: The murder trial got underway Tuesday for a man accused of delivering the fatal punch that killed Ryan Flannigan, 26, outside a Palatine bar last July.

Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Mike Gerber said Tuesday that Michael Platt, 36, of Palatine, “bragged and gloated” while Flannigan lie on the concrete outside a local bar, which was formerly named Pop’s Bar and Grill, bleeding from his head, the Chicago Tribune reports.

Gerber said Platt commented that Flannigan was ”not going to get up now” after he delivered the punch, according to the newspaper.

Flannigan was taken to an area hospital where he died 10 days later. Platt is charged with first-degree murder for his connection with the death.

Flannigan’s best friend, Jon Stegall, testified Tuesday that Flannigan was simply trying to defuse a situation between their group of friends and Platt’s group when he was punched, according to the article.

The defense argued Platt feared for a friend’s safety and referred to the murder charges as “overzealous,” according to the Daily Herald. Defense attorney Pamela Curran did acknowledge the death as a terrible tragedy.

The Daily Herald reports Curran told the courtroom: “His (Flannigan’s) family wants someone to be punished. His friends want someone to be punished. The state’s attorney wants someone to be punished.”

Platt faces up to 60 years in prison if convicted. Testimony will continue Wednesday in the trial, according to the newspaper.

Read more in today’s Chicago Tribune article.