Paul Bashi, a bodybuilder from Washington Township, Michigan, has been locked up on a $5 million bond after assaulting his girlfriend. According to The Detroit Free Press , the attack — which lasts for about 40 minutes — was caught on camera.
In the video, Bashi is seen in his home with his girlfriend. He may not have known it at the time, but cameras were recording everything. As detailed by Fox 2 Detroit , Pam Mclean — a Macomb County prosecutor investigator — said, “He, is in fact, looking through her phone. You will see where he is looking at her phone and then Christina comes through the front door.”
Then Christina is attacked. “He comes back multiple times with multiple knives. The attack is much too graphic at times to show.”
For 40 minutes Bashi punches, kicks, and throws lit candles at her. He even stabs her several times. Mclean explains, “She’s just lying there. Not fighting back or moving at all.”
Christina survived — but was in a coma for days. Bashi was arrested by police after neighbors found Christina outside and called for help. He has been charged with assault with intent to murder. If found guilty of attempted murder, he could go to prison for life.
As terrible as the video is, Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith is grateful to have it. Evidence like that is difficult to argue against.
But, oddly enough, an unexpected person took the stand in Bashi’s defense: Christina. Smith explained, “She told the judge she wanted the defendant out of jail and told the judge that it was her fault this happened.” Despite being beaten and stabbed to the point of almost dying, she wants the case thrown out. Unfortunately, this is not altogether uncommon in domestic violence cases.
Macomb Daily reports that Christina denied she was injured. But Assistance Macomb County Prosecutor Jordan Fields said that this is the worst non-fatal beating he has seen on video. Christina suffered over 100 kicks, 50 punches, had a chair broken on her, had two lighted candles thrown on her, and was stabbed 24 times. “Time and time and time again this defendant beat her as she lay motionless on the ground. How she did not die, I have no idea.”
David Griem, Bashi’s lawyer, attributed the attack to his client’s use of steroids. “The defendant at that time was using great quantities of steroids preparing for a national body-building competition. I believe that what happened that day was something that’s referred to as ‘roid rage’, short for steroid rage.”
After learning that Bashi was walking around the township with blood all over himself after the attack, his bond was changed from $750,000 to $5 million by Magistrate Jennifer Andary.
Bashi has two prior domestic violence charges that involved the same victim, two DUI charges, and a conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud for a $6 million mortgage and loan fraud scheme.