What would you buy if you had $500 burning a hole in your pocket? Maybe a Sony 40” Smart HDTV? How about a really nice dinner for you and three of your friends? Or you could take the family on a staycation to your nearest Six Flags theme park. Whatever you decide, there are near limitless options for how you might spend half a grand.
Gurbaksh “G” Chahal found an especially unique way to spend his $500. His money bought him a 30-minute all-out assault on his now ex-girlfriend. For a full half-hour, Chahal punched, kicked, dragged and choked this woman, taking time out occasionally to inform her that he was going to kill her. According to reports, in that 30-minute time period, Chahal struck his then-girlfriend 117 times. That number seems oddly specific. Perhaps it is because the entire episode was caught on video by his own home surveillance system. Upon seeing the video, the arresting officers found cause to charge Chahal with 45 felony counts.
It should be noted, as recent cases of affluenza have highlighted how our legal system seems to have become even more perverted in its exercise of justice, that Chahal is a northern California tech guru and millionaire who heads the advertising platform, RadiumOne. So, yes, if you are a person of means, you can now assault people on camera and walk away with the slap on the wrist that is probation and a piteously punitive cash fine.
The events detailed above occurred in August of 2013. As the trial got underway, the prosecution ran into their first brick wall: the victim changed her mind and opted not to testify against Chahal. The state’s case was weakened further when the judge ruled the video recording of the attack inadmissible. The police removed the recording from Chahal’s residence on the night of the beating, fearing if they left it, Chahal would most certainly destroy the evidence. Still, the judge deemed that removal, performed without a warrant, meant the prosecution could not use it to convict Chahal.
I think you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who saw the possibility of a lengthy prison term wiped away in favor of probation and a small fine who wouldn’t slink away quietly and reflect on how their previous actions might not reflect who they actually want to be. Not Chahal, however. Despite actually having had to have pled guilty to two misdemeanor counts (domestic violence and battery), Chahal launched a Twitter offensive yesterday going after all his haters.
Is the internet this stupid to read one side of the story by tabloids vs. the actual truth? Grow up people before u judge false allegations.
— Gurbaksh Chahal (@gchahal) April 25, 2014
For the last 10 months there were overblown allegations against me because of my alleged high-profile status.
— Gurbaksh Chahal (@gchahal) April 25, 2014
I got cornered to accept a misdemeanor plea with a $500 fine to resolve the matter and move on with my life .
— Gurbaksh Chahal (@gchahal) April 25, 2014
Rather than continuing a political witch hunt for another year attempting to fully clear my name.
— Gurbaksh Chahal (@gchahal) April 25, 2014
I maintain my innocence regarding these exaggerated allegations.
— Gurbaksh Chahal (@gchahal) April 25, 2014
Chahal and his behavior are not unknown in the tech world. Since the furor over his conviction and fine, there has been a steadily growing chorus calling for his resignation as CEO of RadiumOne. Chahal, defying his detractors, insists he is going nowhere. However, if a certain venture capitalist has his way, Chahal may not be the one making that decision. Jason Calacanis took to Twitter to encourage the public shaming of Chahal for a cause. He has offered to make a donation to a domestic violence charity in the amount of $10,000 should anyone leak the footage of the attack. Should that happen, Chahal will certainly learn that the Internet citizenry is far less forgiving than the legal system that let him off with a warning.
Though viral attention to this story is barely 24 hours old, there are many who, only able to view the world through a liberal v. conservative prism, have tried to make hay over the fact Chahal was a fairly prominent fiscal supporter of the Democratic Party. While his political leanings are in no way a predicate for being a purveyor of domestic violence, it should be noted that the Democratic National Committee has returned Chahal’s 2014 $20,000 contribution.
photo credit: alles-schlumpf via photopin cc
(Originally published at addictinginfo.org)
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