Gorman's Grab Bag

The Other Victims

Billy Mock, the man who was sentenced to five years in prison today for holding a woman at his West Side home last year for five days and beating her, blamed his behavior (but never admitted to the charge he was found guilty of) during his sentencing today on a massive drug addiction. There were other victims in the case as well: His 68-year-old mother and 10-year-old son.

The son was not in court but the mom was, and she could not stop shaking during the hearing, although if it was from nerves or a medical condition, I could not tell. She shrieked when Judge Timothy Franken handed down the sentence and told her son she loved him when he was led out of the courtroom by sheriff's deputies.

The woman Mock was accused of beating was there also, but did not speak. At one point, she and Mock's mother were both holding their heads in their hands at the same time.

His brother, the infamous Bobby Mock, testified on Billy's behalf during the trial and tried to take some of the blame. After all, facing probably the rest of his life behind bars after being charged with stealing ATMs from stores and a hospital (the hospital caper involved an injured cop) and being the ringleader in what authorities say was a large burglary ring, he did not have anything to lose.

Except his mom. I have seen Bobby in court several times and I was there for most of the short trial of Billy, but never saw the mother until Thursday. Perhaps it was the finality of it all, and I know nothing about the brothers' upbringing, but the Mock boys did not just beat up a woman or steal people and businesses blind; they also beat their mother and stole something from her.

There could not be a worse punishment in the world. I hope its something that grates on both of them as they serve their time.