Up to 5 years? It hardly seems enough.

His snap shot alone should get him 5 years its all over him.Its a shame ones life is ruined because of a so-call tough guy.

Drunks punching drunks punching drunks.

They never learn.

Yep, he looks like he is from New Lenox!!

Good! This has gone on too long!

I say kill him! Why support his dumb a$$. 1 bullet is a lot cheaper than paying for him for 5yrs.

I totally agree with Kristine....UP to 5 Years???? What kind of justice is that for Eric Bartels & his family???????????????????????????????

My son knows the Eric's family and I have a hard time understanding the possible 5 yr. sentance when Eric's life is virtually done. I feel so sorry for his family.

He should be sentenced to the 24/7 day to day care that Eric now requires...

It's good to see that our legal system works. I hope he gets the max.

AC, if you know Eric started the fight and you think Joe is not guilty of any crime, you should have testified at the trial. The judge didn't believe the others who testified. Maybe you could have saved your friend. A five year sentence is nothing. If Eric dies from his injuries, joe will be retried for murder.

Im sure this guy got punched for a reason. Probably was drunk talkin smack and got punched. I like how the guy that gets hurt always did nothin wrong. Was he sober just minding his own business? No way. The situation could of been the other way around so easily and the parents of the guy in wheelchair would still be sayin that hes an angel.

Unbelievable. 5 years for being at the scene of a fight.Crazy. This trial was a witchhunt all along. Bartel's wanted justice and it didnt matter who it was.(By the way you should be mad at Mokena PD for what a botched investgation they did. Taxpayers money hard at work over there.) I understand that, but wouldnt you want the right guy? Cause in my opinion, with everything i've heard and read, you didnt. Eric's life is gone, Joe's life is screwed and the guy that actually threw the punch got away scott free. Blind justice. But as everyone says these days, it is what it is. And with that being said our prisions are way way over-crowded, Illinois has no
money. A friend of mine was randomly stabbed about 5 years ago. The guy also stole a car after he stabbed him. He was caught,sentenced to 18 years, he was out in 4 YEARS. So it is what it is, I will see you again very soon Mr. Messina but tomorrow Eric's will wake up and still be in his wheelchair.

REALLY? ONLY 5 YEARS??? That's not even closed compared to the life sentence Eric will have for what Messina did to him! I hope when Messina goes to prison, the other prisoners will show him how "tough" he really is!!!

Here's hoping that he becomes someone's girlfriend in prison.

Thats pretty sick that anyones mommy would make a comment like that. You seem to have some kind of perverted weird way of thinking if all you can think about is how Joe may become someones bitch in prison. Joe will serve his time and be let out to try and regain control of his life that is obviously gonna be scarred by a stupid moment that he will forever have to live with and Eric will obviously never live a normal life again either and that to is a shame. But fact is that it was a terrible moment that they both wish that they could go back to and Im sure do it all over again but they cant and so they both live with the outcome. I wish them both the best and hope that alot of the people reading these posts learn from their mistakes cuz either one of them could be anyone of us.

So going out, getting wasted should get you a free pass? This drain on society went to a bar, got in a fight and continued to hit his victim when he could no longer defend himself?

I take it that you or your family has never been the victim of a drunk. Let me tell you, it tears your world apart, in an instant. And it couldn't happen to anyone of us, as most people wouldn't do what Joe did. If I were Judge Jones, I would also order restitution to be paid to Eric's family, even if it's $1.00 a day, as a reminder of how he ruined this young man's life. Way to make the victim look like the Defendant.

I said I didnt condone it yet I do believe both men were far beyond drunk. So with that in mind, if someone is driving drunk and is struck and killed by another drunk driver, who is at fault? The one who had the better outcome?

Maybe you should read what i said because I did not at all try to make Eric look bad in any way. Just putting another spin on it thats all. I am not a family member of Joes But I have become friends with him over the years and I do believe that if you knew Joe personally I dont believe you would want anything bad to happen to him as you wished for earlier, I dont pretend to live a perfect life and I have made numerous mistakes and so will my family and friends and we will learn from them, Apparently you live in perfection and you and your family live life with no regrets because you are all perfect and never make mistakes. Good luck keeping that up.

Nobody requested perfection. Just sweet 'ole Joe doesn't pummel people with his big meaty fists.

Civilized society, and all.

Seems excessive for a bar fight