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You may remember the unfortunate San Diego TV reporter, John Mattes, who was physically attacked on camera by a married couple Mattes was investigating about their alleged identity theft/real estate scam. Apparently, Assad "Sam" Suleiman and wife Rosa Barraza contend that Mattes must have somehow injured himself — perhaps by smashing his ribs into Suleiman's fist until they cracked, or walloping his own face a few times (we won't even mention the biting). Facing lengthy prison sentences if convicted in the assault, both Suleiman and Barraza have pled not guilty, with their attorney claiming that Suleiman was just acting to defend his wife, and "the footage released to the general media does not fully capture the intensity of the confrontation." Watch that clip again, and try to imagine that it was actually, somehow, more intense.

Pair pleads not guilty to beating San Diego television reporter [San Diego Union-Tribune via Consumerist]
[Photo: AP]