With the help of MTV producers, Austin police arrested a 28-year-old South Austin man for punching Real World cast member Danny Jamieson in a Sixth Street brawl in January. Ryan Getman is facing two felony counts of aggravated assault from the incident, which was videotaped by MTV cameras and broadcast nationally in June. Jamieson waited until March to report the incident, which left him with multiple facial fractures and nerve damage, requiring surgery. According to court documents, MTV producers supplied police with video of the incident and told them they believed the man was named “Brian Getman,” and supplied an address. Investigators compared pictures of Getman to the images of the incident, and Getman was arrested and released on bond.
Getman was indicted by a grand jury on June 10. He could not be reached for comment on deadline.
According to court documents, the fight stemmed from a “verbal confrontation” on Sixth Street. On video, Getman is seen shoving Wes, one of Jamieson’s roommates, twice from behind, the arrest affidavit says. Jamieson was trying to break up the fight when he was pulled from behind and tripped and fell to the ground. He was on the ground when he was punched. The blow broke Jamieson’s cheek and orbital bones, as well as fracturing several smaller bones around the eye socket. Despite surgery and regular visits to an eye doctor, he told the police the vision in his left eye remains blurry.
This article appears in July 8 • 2005.