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San Luis Obispo firefighter allegedly a wedding basher

June 13, 2011

By KAREN VELIE

A San Luis Obispo firefighter who put one man in the hospital during a wedding after-party earlier this month, allegedly bashed another man over the head with a full bottle of champagne during a 1997 wedding in Los Osos.

CalCoastNews has interviewed more than a dozen eyewitnesses of several attacks allegedly perpetrated by San Luis Obispo firefighter John Ryan Mason, 34. However, because of fear of Mason or worry over retribution, many have asked to have their names withheld. However, several members of law enforcement confirm the alleged assaults resulted in 911 calls.

At the 1997 wedding in Los Osos, held at 2095 Willow Drive, Mason participated in the ceremony as a groomsman. Several witnesses said Mason became agitated with a man who he claimed was ogling his date.

According to eyewitnesses, Mason allegedly grabbed a full bottle of champagne and bashed Al Beavers, the owner of Al’s Septic Pumping Service, on the head.

Mason attacked Beavers from behind, but witnesses said he hit the wrong man. The mistake happened because both Beavers and the other man had beards.

Nevertheless, Beavers was transported to the hospital with broken teeth and a cracked jaw. He required oral surgery in order to recover from the alleged assault.

Though San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the alleged assault, Mason had already fled and was not arrested.

On June 4, Mason allegedly followed Jory Brigham, 32, into the bathroom of Pappy McGregor’s in San Luis Obispo. Witnesses said Mason kept aggressively backing Brigham into the rear of the bathroom upset about a post Brigham had put on Facebook,  which noted Brigham’s view on infidelity.

“It is blowing my mind recently how lightly marriage is taken, and how it is almost socially acceptable to walk out on your family,” Brigham said on his Facebook page on January 27.

After asking Mason to stop on behalf of the newlyweds, one witness went to get help. Another person entered the bathroom to allegedly find the off-duty firefighter beating an unconscious Brigham about the face and head.

On Friday, during seven hours of surgery, doctors placed four plates in Brigham’s head and wired his jaw shut. Because his tongue was severely swollen, surgeons mistakenly sewed his tongue to his jaw. They plan to correct the error and expect further surgeries may be required in the future, the family said in an email obtained by CalCoastNews.

Before the alleged assault on Brigham, Mason attempted to catch a cab home. However, even though witnesses said he did not appear drunk, Mason became argumentative with the taxi driver and was ultimately told he could not enter the cab.

Mason fled the scene and was arrested by San Luis Obispo police five days after the alleged assault on Brigham.

 


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I believe everything I read so far characterizing his style.

A person who drinks to numb his nerve to do something is usually obvious and apparent.

Mason’s thug style “precedes” any alcohol problem because of how he approach his assaults, what he does after the initial cold cock and how he flees. He has heavy weight bouncer or thug experience , he has know how experience. Drunk or sober has NO relevance!


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While Mr. Mason was definitely wrong in his bashing of Jory, I know Jory quite well and I have to say I’m not at all surprised. Jory is not really a great guy and he likes to pick fights and provoke everyone around him. I know he was continuously spreading rumors about Mr. Mason’s private life and he was pretty insistent on making his views of marriage known. (Not that the way Jory treats his own wife or the way he controls his drinking and temper are anything to be proud of). He’s had a few run-in’s with the law and has mouthed off to cops. More than once I’ve been with him downtown when he has gotten drunk and started yelling profanities at random people and trying to pick fights with them. Although he really isn’t that tough, he’s not really a small guy either–he just has a bit too much testosterone running uncontrollably through his body. He does frequently try to intimidate people to get the better of them. A lot of the media have tried to present it like Mr. Mason was just a big bully picking on an innocent guy. The reality is that Jory tried picking a fight with the wrong person at the wrong time. The fact that Jory got his mouth wired shut seems a little like karmic retribution at play here. I hope he recovers but maybe in the future he’ll think twice about who he pops off to.


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It would appear that your good buddy Mason, has been in so many fights that his friends can’t keep it straight. Here is an excerpt from a post on the previous thread (yesterday’s story) from a friend of Mason, by truth hurts.


” As far as this ridiculous story about a champagne bottle over the head of Travis Mello….not true. I was there and in fact, Travis punched Ryan and they wrestled to the floor and when they did, a champagne bottle was knocked off the table”.


This is obviously an entirely different altercation than the one that occurred with Al Baker, just how many fights has Mason been in over the last 10 years? Sounds like a classic pattern to me.


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I didn’t say I was a friend with Mr. Mason. I do not know him at all. I said I know Jory (Mr. Brigham) and that Jory (Mr. Brigham) very likely would not be in this mess today if he were a little more judicious with his temper and with picking fights with people.


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The neanderthallery of your opinion is shocking.


Would you ever say about a woman who had been raped “she wouldn’t be in this mess today if she were a little more judicious about the clothing she wears”?


Mason beat him so severely he had to have metal plates placed in his face! That means his facial bones were, at least in some places, broken into many pieces.


Mason continued to viciously assault Bingham when he was down on the floor.


Then Mason RAN like a little sniveling coward.


Common sense and the law indicates Mason was at fault for Mason viciously beating Bingham. Mason was not injured.


Bingham has a right to his opinions, including opinions about putting his dick in other first responders’ wives. If Mason doesn’t want to hear opinions about his dick-sticking in other first responders’ wives, then Mason should stop sticking his dick in other first responders’ wives.


The blame for this is clearly on Mason. Bingham was the victim.


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Good for you Mary, Tell it exactly like it is, and you did!


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OMG JordanJ…………..it’s Al BEAVERS, not Baker!!!!!!!!!!! Can’t you people get any facts straight????


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You don’t have much standing when it comes to people not getting things right on a message board, seeings how you can’t guess another posters’s name correctly…and then make a big deal about it on a message board.


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“While Mr. Mason was definitely wrong in his bashing of Jory, I know Jory quite well and I have to say I’m not at all surprised. Jory is not really a great guy and he likes to pick fights and provoke everyone around him.”


——————–


First of all, if Mason is screwing other first responders’ wives, then Mason is at fault for any discussion of it. If he doesn’t like the opinions of those discussing his screwing other first responders’ wives, then he should probably keep his dick out of other first responders’ wives.


The victim of an assault is NEVER at fault. That is akin to saying if a woman wears a tube top out to a bar, is she responsible for a subsequent rape that night?


If the person assaulted was at fault, they would not be the VICTIM.


The only legally acceptable reason to strike another person is in self defense. Even then, if the one doing the striking goes past the point needed to stop the attack against them, they can be brought up on charges.


I don’t care if a person is the biggest a**hole on the face of the earth…mason did not have a right to viciously assault him.


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Please to be explaining why my reply regarding Unions and the “thumbs down” phenomenon was deleted as well as another poster who made a reference to the Union Courtesy?


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What kind of a coward is this reject? I mean, you get the drop on someone and continue beating their face while they’re unconscious? Back when all firefighters were men, they would have this taken care of. Now we have a bunch of man-boys running around throwing temper-tantrums.


I wonder if his parents had any kids that lived.


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I’m pretty certain that he (Mason) has 1 younger brother who is a CHP, or at least, went to the academy to become a CHP.


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These are kids (brothers) who grew up locally, as did the other people (wives of Mason and Brigham) involved. Very sad. Most crimes these days seem to be alcohol or drug related.


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“Very sad. Most crimes these days seem to be alcohol or drug related.”


Yes, many crimes are due to alcohol, drugs and a “VIOLENT, SOCIALY RETARDED APE”.


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Is his his brother viciously assaultive, too? Is he such a coward that he then runs away? Does he also stick his dick in other first responders’ wives? I hope this isn’t DNA related.


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“I wonder if his parents had any kids that lived.”

LOL, roy you’re so right on! You and BigRed have both hit the nail on the head. I haven’t been able to quite gather the words to accurately express my disgust.

BigRed’s assessment is worth repeating:

“MASON, YOU ARE A VIOLENT AND SOCIALY RETARDED APE.”

Has anyone considered what might happen if he were the emergency first responder to a call for a citizen that he didn’t like? OMG.


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I can understand that there might be concerns about that HUGH union being directed to this site. They could slime this blog faster than they could be deleted.

But the first post you did should never have been deleted. That was a mistake and I have contacted the OWNER of this site about that.


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I find the use of the word ‘retarded’ insulting, demeaning and offensive. I worked with people with special needs and they are not ‘apes’ or ‘violent’. Please try to refrain from using such low-life terminology.


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This site does have rules about name calling. Especially with names like “retard”. Since BigRed was referring to a social retard which has nothing to do with a person who innocently suffers from “mental retardation”, it appears to have barely squeezed by. Personally, I thought it was an excellent description but the administration didn’t like it so much and discourages it. I just got chastised for it!


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You are wrong. The term is an acceptable one. You are looking to be offended and showing a lack of sophistication. Look it up.


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Kindly refer to our guidelines( that link under the text box)

2. Promotion, fostering or perpetuation of discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, age, religion, gender, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, national origin, physical or mental disability or sexual orientation;

3. Defamatory, potentially libelous statements or statements that include false claims;


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You can also retard the timing of an engine. U guys are myopic and lack understanding of English. Mentally retarded is a proper term when discussing cognitive disability. Social retardation is a term used to describe one who cannot function inside social situations. Quit being knee-jerk reactionaries. (uh oh… I said jerk!)


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OOps, sorry BigRed, I accidently gave you a thumbs down. I agree with you 100%.


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‘retard’ is a word that means something like to hold back or slow down but that’s not how it was used here. There’s a big difference between your statement ‘retard the timing…’ as opposed to calling someone a ‘retarded ape’. This guy wasn’t talking about a car. If I call you a bit@h it’s a lot different then if I call a dog a bit@h,,two different meanings. You don’t use the term ‘retarded’ when referring to people.


It truly offends me to hear people use that term to describe others. I don’t let my kids call others retarded or gay. Other parents do but to me it’s ignorant and offensive and brings a conversation to a low level.


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You are offended by legitimate terminology. Awesome. Perhaps you are socially retarded as well.


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Your neanderthallery is amazing.


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sociopath |ˈsōsēōˌpaθ|

noun

a person with a personality disorder manifesting itself in extreme antisocial attitudes and behavior and a lack of conscience.


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Typoqueen, Stop with the spin. You’re intentionally ignoring the lead word “socially” in BigRed’s phrase . He called Jory “socially retarded” not mentally retarded. How many times does that have to be pointed out for you for you to remember that?

There is a post at the top of this thread with 41 thumbs up and not a single thumb down. They called Mason a “moron”. Do you know what a “moron” is? Guess it hasn’t become popular to “bash” people from using that word yet. Get off your high horse.


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I find it offensive even with the word ‘socially’ in front of. That word shouldn’t be used when describing another person. No matter how you try and justify it we aren’t using the term as a verb while discussing an object like a car we are talking about humans. Socially retarded is not acceptable to anyone with any class when describing another person, people with special needs are socially retarded, I guess that’s acceptable to you but not to me. It’s pretty basic, people should not use the term ‘retarded’ when describing other people no matter what you put before or after it. I guess you and I were raised different, our parents had different standards and no matter what I say, you simply won’t get it. I won’t go on about it anymore but I will always speak up when I see the term used in this type of manner.


BTW, what is your deal with the thumbs up? I don’t care how many thumbs up or down people get, I don’t care if 500 people on this site disagree with me, it simply doesn’t matter. One, the thumbs up and thumbs down can and are fixed by posters so they are’t legit at all and two, who cares?


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Cindy: It violates the guidelines,,, read them please. it is an offensive word to use in a community discussion, that is why it is mentioned in the guidelines ! perhaps you should have a blog of your own where you are free to use all the offensive word you wish.


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Depends on the context.


If a horticulturalist says “I’ve noticed a retarded growth of your Quercus agrifolia,” after you stick your tongue out at her for being such a smarty pants and using the Latin name for your tree, that’s one thing. “Retarded” can mean something that is slowed or delayed (in this case, retarded growth of an oak tree).


“Retarded” can also refer to “mental retardation,” which is a protected disability. In addition, to use the term “retarded” to attack someone is just thoughtless and without class, graciousness, and compassion. Come on, would you call someone a “crip” (short for “cripple”) to attack them?


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Keep it context Mary. How many “emotional cripples” do you know? Is that the same thing as making fun of somebody with one leg?


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Cindy, I ask you and Katie to cease insulting apes, our close biological relatives, by comparing this shitty miscreant to them.


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I pay taxes and some of that goes to pay for public servant’s salaries. I think this person should be fired. Period! It is clear he has mental health issues, substance abuse issues along with a very serious anger management problem. It appears that he has a history of very violent outbursts. There is enough evidence in the last incident to have him fired. Yes, when you are a public servant, you are representing the city you work for on and off the job! As for our local police and firefighters, DRUG TESTING BEFORE GOING ON DUTY! It’s time to start sending a letter to whomever is in charge of him and demand he be fired. It is absolutely 100% unacceptable what he has done.


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I hope everybody remembers this as we begin the tedious debate and whining coming from the Public Safety unions. First, the incompetent Sheriff’s Dept didn’t pursue this 20 year old kid back in 1997 after a vicious assault on a local business owner. Then SLOFD hires this guy after apparently a very weak background investigation. And finally, the SLOPD lollygags about arresting this violent and socially xxxxxxx until they realize the story isn’t going away. Well, I’d say that about covers the entire spectrum of SLO county Public Safety. Oh yeah, you guys are worth every cent. Please find a way out of all of these contracts SLO City and County. These guys are huge liabilities. Perhaps the story will come full circle and he’ll be run over by a drunken CHP captain.


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Just an interesting note: As of two hours into the posts, If you call out the Unions in this comment thread you’ll get a “thumbs down”(only two such posts).

Get back to work, deadbeats!


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Say, did you ever think it’s your posts they don’t like?


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It’s possible


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There are plenty of bleeding heart drooling liberals on this site that think unions are the best thing that could happen to somebody. So yes, there are people who don’t like other people complaining about all the damage unions have done to the taxpayers. Our servants earn more than their employers, tell their employers that they can’t be terminated and what ever they do wrong is none of our business and they retire with 90% of their pay at 50 while we work until 65, go figure?


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Hey! I’m a liberal and proud of it. I am about as liberal as a liberal can be. I am an inspiration to other liberals.


I also happen to think that unions are the best thing that happened to America’s workforce. Remember the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire?


The fact that our economy is in the toilet is because our unions became so weak. They were unable to successfully fight the offshoring of the jobs WE created here in America, using our tax dollars to create.


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Again, it is not the unions who have the responsibility for arresting and collecting evidence sufficient to, if positive, lead to a conviction if brought to trial.


Look to the fire/police departments for why they failed to protect the public from Mason, and why they gave him 5 days to destroy evidence and get the drugs out of his system before they moseyed on over to his place to arrest him.


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With ordinary citizens, police would have been concerned about this man hurting someone else on the way home or hurting members of his family. There needs to be an investigation over the fact that police did not follow up and pick this guy up. Instead they afforded him the “professional courtesy” of allowing him to get all the drugs and alcohol out of his system before his arrest 5 days later. This is a plain ole’ cover up, if you ask me.


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Seems like a clear case of favorable treatment by the PD towards this ‘firefighter’. What – or who – does he know that almost gets him a free pass to assault and nearly kill someone? He’d probably still be out if there wasn’t so much attention from the media.


And what’s this about surgeons sewing the victim’s tongue to his jaw? Eeww… That’s more newsworthy than bringing up a crime from 1997, but its buried 10 ‘graphs deep.


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I have to agree about the surgeon sewing the poor man’s tongue to his jaw. I’d be so angry. What sort of a doctor makes a mistake like that? Can anyone imagine how horrible that would be? What is that surgeon’s name, I want to be certain to steer clear of that guy. What else is going to happen to poor Brigham, hasn’t he been through enough.


Mason needs some serious PRISON TME.


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I agree, I would like to know the name of the surgeon.


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Brought to you by union courtesy.


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When did the unions become responsible for arresting and collecting evidence for vicious attackers?


The extent of his assault could have murdered Bingham–and could yet if Bingham gets an infection or complications from the assault. Would the unions be responsible for that, too?


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The primary organizational corruption is in the PD not the union IMO


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If this dirt bag had been picked up and arrested when he bashed Mr Beavers over the head and broke his jaw, this latest incident might never have occurred. What a piece of crap, sneaking up on people from behind and creating so much violence and havoc and at someone’s wedding, then he run’s away, both times! He needs to be seriously locked up, these are almost two identical felonies that caused great bodily injury and no doubt, there have been others.


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No doubt. Everything of monetary value that this piece of human refuse has should be sold to pay restitution to the victims. This guy has made his bed, now he best be put to lie in it.


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