It still seems pretty grimy to me that Mark Wahlberg would petition to be pardoned for his 1988 assault conviction saying he “goes to church almost every day” without ever reaching out to the victim, but to his credit, it sounds like the assault wasn’t quite so grievous as originally thought. The Daily Mail tracked down Johnny Trinh, who now lives in Arlington, Texas, who says that Wahlberg didn’t actually blind him, because he was already blind in one eye.
‘I was not blinded by Mark Wahlberg,’ said 59-year-old Vietnamese-born Trinh. ‘He did hurt me, but my left eye was already gone. He was not responsible for that.’
Trinh said he is happy for Wahlberg to be given a pardon saying: ‘He was young and reckless but I forgive him now. Everyone deserves another chance. Trinh added that he would like to meet Wahlberg face to face to tell him he does not bear a grudge.
When Mail Online tracked down Trinh – who was born Hoa but uses the name Johnny – to a duplex in Arlington, Texas, he had no idea his assailant went on to become one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars. [DailyMail]
So, to recap, this guy lost an eye fighting Communists, was then brutally assaulted by someone rich and famous, who he totally forgives and didn’t try to sue or anything? I don’t know if Mark Wahlberg deserves a pardon, but Johnny Trinh deserves a medal.
Trinh was with a South Vietnamese army unit fighting with US forces against the Communist North when a grenade blew him up. A piece of shrapnel lodged in his left eye and his right eye.
‘Doctors had to take my eye out. I was given a false eye. Having one eye has affected what jobs I can do, but I did not lose my sight when I was punched by this man.’
Trinh, who earns $9 an hour working in a clothing store printing logos on T-shirts, immigrated to the US in 1980.
Oh, and for the record, Trinh wasn’t the guy who Wahlberg knocked unconscious with a big stick, he was the second guy, who Mark Wahlberg asked for help then punched in the face.
…Lam was knocked unconscious and Wahlberg fled empty handed. Moments later he approached Trinh and told him ‘Police coming, police coming, let me hide.’ After the patrol car left, he punched Trinh in the eye.
That he’d blinded the second guy always used to seem like the kicker to the ultimate “teenage delinquent” story, but now that we know the guy he punched was already blind in one eye… maybe he was just being nice by not hurting the good eye? Just a thought. Also, it would be a great third act Gone Girl twist if we found out that Mark Wahlberg had actually just paid some Asian guy to say he was forgiven.
“But sir, I’m Chinese.”
“Hey, I’m sawrry, I still can’t tell you people apaht. Look, do you want the fawty dollahs oah nawt?”