Bobbitt found innocent of domestic battery

Dan Kulin

Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2004 | 11:22 a.m.

John Wayne Bobbitt said his notoriety usually works against him in dealing with law enforcement and the legal system. But on Monday the man best known for having his penis sliced off by his ex-wife said he has never been happier with the judicial system.

Bobbitt, 38, was found not guilty on Monday of four counts of domestic battery stemming from an Aug. 25 incident at his Las Vegas home. Bobbitt was accused of assaulting his wife and stepson during an argument and fight that happened after the 14-year-old found a sex toy in the couple's bedroom.

While finding Bobbitt not guilty of the most recent charges, Las Vegas Municipal Judge Pro Tem Gary Lang ordered Bobbitt to finish domestic violence counseling classes that were part of a sentence from a February 2003 conviction of battering his current wife.

Bobbitt, who has been in and out of jail this year on these recent and other charges, attended only three of the 26 classes he had been ordered to attend as part of that sentence.

During the nearly 2 1/2-hour trial on Monday, Bobbitt's wife, stepson, and friends who were at the family's home on Aug. 25 gave conflicting testimony over what happened that night.

Bobbitt's stepson said he and the 11-year-old daughter of the friends were looking for pictures in the master bedroom when he came across a sex toy.

The teen said he was angry and went to the garage and confronted Bobbitt and his mother, and called them perverts.

Bobbitt them followed the boy to the living room where he told the teen to "hit him like a man," the boy testified.

The teen said he pushed Bobbitt. Then Bobbitt pushed him twice, knocking him to the ground, and then got on top of the teen.

The boy said that then his mother, Bobbitt's wife, Joanna Ferrell, tried to pull Bobbitt away, but Bobbitt pushed her to the ground.

Ferrell has been married to Bobbitt since March 2002, and Ferrell's son lived with his father for most of this year, but stayed with his mother during the summer vacation.

Ferrell testified that after her son "found some things" he began throwing furniture and other items around the living room.

She said she then called Bobbitt in from outside to calm her son down. Ferrell said she didn't see how they ended up on the ground, but said she tried to get Bobbitt off of her son "because it seemed like it was getting out of hand."

Ferrell said she tripped over either her son or husband's feet and fell, contradicting a statement she gave to police that night when she said Bobbitt shoved her.

David Fletcher, his wife Dawn Fletcher, and their daughter also testified during the Monday hearing. The Fletchers said they saw Garcia hitting Bobbitt as Bobbitt had him in a bear-hug hold. They said Ferrell did not get involved.

David Fletcher said he separated Bobbitt and the teen.

The boy and Bobbitt both had bumps and scratches, apparently from the altercation.

Like Bobbitt, the teen was arrested on domestic battery charges that night.

A few days after the incident, Ferrell filed for divorce. But she said now that she and Bobbitt are trying to work things out.

"We're compatible soul mates," Bobbitt said.

At the conclusion of the Monday hearing, the judge said he blamed Ferrell's stepson for the altercation, and called the teen a brat.

"I don't see that he battered anyone," Lang said about Bobbitt.

"I'm not a violent man," Bobbitt said.

After the hearing Bobbitt said he feels that he is usually "victimized" by law enforcement and the legal system.

"I get beat up, and I'm the bad guy," Bobbitt said. "It was all a big misunderstanding between me and my wife's son."

But on Monday, Bobbitt felt the system finally worked in his favor.

"I've never been so happy with the judicial system.""