PTSD on trial and the story upside down

It is really odd how people can read the same article but come away with different points of view. Take this one about an Iraq veteran facing charges for shooting a police officer.

This is the headline Iraq war vet indicted for shooting Athens police officer But twisting the story around, pulling the bottom of the article to the top, it raises important points that could very well be missed if you stopped reading after the beginning.

Defense attorney Edward Tolley noted in one of the motions that Marcantonio was involved in numerous fire fights during his deployment in Iraq, and in 2006 he suffered a severe brain injury when an armored vehicle he was in was struck by an artillery shell. He suffers from PTSD, Tolley noted. Tolley said that if granted bond, Veteran Affairs has offered to accept Marcantonio with an ankle monitor while he is provided with in-patient mental health services. The attorney also argued that Marcantonio was honorably discharged from the Marines and had no prior criminal record. The lance corporal was awarded the Purple Heart and other medals and commendations for his service in Iraq.

Now read what the beginning of the article had.

James Michael Marcantonio, 28, is a decorated combat veteran of the Iraq war who suffers from post traumatic stress syndrome that possibly triggered the altercation in which the officer was shot, according to court filings by his defense attorney. On Nov. 25, grand jurors filed an indictment in Clarke County Superior Court charging the former U.S. Marine with aggravated assault against a police officer, aggravated battery, attempted removal of a firearm from a public official, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime and felony obstruction of a law enforcement officer. The injured officer was one of two who responded on Aug. 31 to Fairways at Jennings Mill apartments on a woman’s report that Marcantonio was banging on her door and trying to get inside, according to police.

By the time you read that part, you knew that he was a dealing with PTSD and the VA offered to help.