MY SIDE OF THE MATTERMichael Gannon won in criminal court, but his story in the media was filled with lies. I don't think he would have won in civil court. What upsets me is all the talk about him being a crusader and the gross misrepresentation in the media. Here are some facts not known to the media and the people who read Gannon's story.
I am black. Gannon is white. I am not the kind of person that blames white people for the ills of blacks. I have worked with and around whites my whole life. I also have worked with a deaf person for 3 years. I learned to sign the alphabet so we didn't have to write on paper to things to communicate with him.
I had been in sales for about 3 years at that time. I had been a manager trainee and computer specialist when I worked at Radio Shack full time. I think I did my job well and I was always at the top of the sales chart in the store that I worked. I don't think I could be good at sales by beating up customers or not being sensitive to their needs and wants.
I would like to address the lies in Gannon's story to the media. The dispute was never about his name and address, but about the fact that the signature on his receipt didn't match the signature on his credit card. Gannon said that when I was talking I was turned away and he didn't know what I was saying. He also said that I came from behind the counter and attacked and tackled him.
The truth of the matter is that I never asked for his address and I could tell that he was in a hurry. Gannon was buying hearing aid batteries and paying with an American Express credit card. The signature on the receipt did not match the signature on the card. Gannon snatched the receipt out of my hand and said, "I will sign the receipt like the signature on the card."
I told him that he didn't have to snatch anything out of my hand -- I just would like to see his driver's license. I must have said, "you don't have to snatch anything out of my hand" six times because Gannon said "you said don't snatch anything out of your hand six times," so what does that mean?
When Gannon showed me his license he put it about an inch from my face. When I handed him the receipt he snatched it out of my hand again.
I admit that I lost my temper and punched him. After I punched him he knocked a monitor off the counter and then came behind the counter. I grabbed him and we both fell, knocking the counter over. Then his brother came into the store and held me down while Gannon kicked and beat me. Once I got up and got his brother off of me, I went to the bathroom in the back of the store.
When I came out of the bathroom Gannon had his hand in his pocket like he had a knife or gun and at that point he said, "You know why you did this to me. Because you are a nigger!" I didn't want to have any more confrontation so I left the store.
About a half hour later I talked to a police officer that said that I would probably be charged with assault.
I admit that I did hit Gannon first and I served my time for what I did. I don't think that Gannon is the crusader that he says he is. Gannon's story is self-serving and far from the truth.