OCONOMOWOC, Wisconsin (AP) -- A man says he broke into an apartment with a cavalry sword because he thought he heard a woman being raped, but the sound actually was from a pornographic movie his upstairs neighbor was watching.

"Now I feel stupid," said James Van Iveren, who has been charged in the case. "This really is nothing, nothing but a mistake."

According to a criminal complaint, the neighbor told police that Van Iveren pounded on the door and kicked it open without warning February 12, damaging the frame and lock. (Watch what damage Van Iveren allegedly left and how the neighbor will watch porn in the future (http://javascript%3cb%3e%3c/b%3E:cnnVideo%28%27play%27,%27/video/us/2007/02/22/shannon.wi.porn.watcher.rape.wtmj%27,%272007/03/08%27%29;) http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/.element/img/1.5/main/icon_video.gif (http://javascript%3cb%3e%3c/b%3E:cnnVideo%28%27play%27,%27javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:cnnVideo%28%27play%27,%27/video/us/2007/02/22/shannon.wi.porn.watcher.rape.wtmj%27,%272007/03/08%27%29;%27,%272007/02/22%27%29;))

"Where is she?" Van Iveren demanded, thrusting the sword at the neighbor, the complaint said. "Where is she?"

The neighbor told police Van Iveren became increasingly aggressive as he repeated the question, insisting that he had heard a woman being raped. The complaint said that, with the sword pointed at him, the neighbor led Van Iveren throughout the apartment, opening closet doors to prove he was alone.

The neighbor later played for police the part of the DVD he believed Van Iveren heard downstairs.

Van Iveren, 39, of Oconomowoc, was charged with criminal trespass, criminal damage and disorderly conduct, all while using a dangerous weapon, and is scheduled to appear in court March 5. Together, the misdemeanor counts carry a maximum sentence of 33 months in jail.

Van Iveren said Tuesday that he heard a woman "screaming for help," grabbed the sword, bounded up the stairs, kicked in the apartment door and confronted the man who lived there.

"I intended to hold it behind my back and knock. But I froze and instead, what happened happened," he told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Contesting his neighbor's account, Van Iveren said he didn't look anywhere in the apartment except the front room, and that he never threatened the neighbor with the sword.

"I had the sword extended, but that was all," he said.

Van Iveren, who lives with his mother in the downstairs apartment, said he did not call police when he heard the noises because he does not have a telephone. He said he barely knew the upstairs tenant.

Police seized Van Iveren's sword, which he said was a family heirloom.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press (http://www.cnn.com/interactive_legal.html#AP). All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Why is this guy being charged for anything? He honestly thought someone was in trouble! He should be rewarded, even if there was no actual crime. I wish there were more selfless people in this world like him.

Wasn't there a case some years ago where a woman really was being raped and murdered and her neighbors ignored her cries for help?

Wow, and he's being charged?

Not many people these days would do something as noble as he did. It was better for him to do that than ignore it.

and if there really happened to be a woman being raped up there, he'd be getting publically recognized and rewarded, but because there wasn't, he's being deemed a criminal; although his actions and reasonings were exactly the same.

there's a reason why i regularly end the pledge of allegiance with "and justice for some."

A cavalry sword?

;)

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=569088

Stieghorst, who said he has lived in his small downtown apartment for five years, said he was watching an adult DVD in Spanish called "Casa de Culo." He said the movie has no screaming that would suggest to someone a woman was in danger.

"It's all in Spanish, and I don't understand a word of it," he said. "I only bought it for the hot chicks."

Lol. It wasn't even in English.

But if Van Iveren was attempting to rescue what he thought was a woman in danger he was "obnoxiously late," said Stieghorst, who said he watched the movie between 1 and 2:30 a.m., but Van Iveren did not burst into his apartment until about 11:30 a.m.

If this is true, than some "hero" he really is. :rolleyes:

And let's say I'm watching a horror flick, and there's a scene where some chick/dude is getting hacked up with a chain saw, and a lot of screaming ensues..and my volume is a bit high, and not realizing someone living across the wall might hear. Then several hours later (or even a few minutes later as the case may be) my door gets kicked in, and some guy is aiming a sword, gun, whatever at me. Would I be saying, "Wow, you're a really noble guy!" Nope. There's this thing called "911" where police respond to your call within minutes, and they take care of situations in a more orderly manner.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=569088

Stieghorst, who said he has lived in his small downtown apartment for five years, said he was watching an adult DVD in Spanish called "Casa de Culo." He said the movie has no screaming that would suggest to someone a woman was in danger.

"It's all in Spanish, and I don't understand a word of it," he said. "I only bought it for the hot chicks."

Lol. It wasn't even in English.

But if Van Iveren was attempting to rescue what he thought was a woman in danger he was "obnoxiously late," said Stieghorst, who said he watched the movie between 1 and 2:30 a.m., but Van Iveren did not burst into his apartment until about 11:30 a.m.

If this is true, than some "hero" he really is. :rolleyes:

And let's say I'm watching a horror flick, and there's a scene where some chick/dude is getting hacked up with a chain saw, and a lot of screaming ensues..and my volume is a bit high, and not realizing someone living across the wall might hear. Then several hours later (or even a few minutes later as the case may be) my door gets kicked in, and some guy is aiming a sword, gun, whatever at me. Would I be saying, "Wow, you're a really noble guy!" Nope. There's this thing called "911" where police respond to your call within minutes, and they take care of situations in a more orderly manner.
Those are good points. ;)

ohno: Scary.