By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – A jury returned with a not guilty verdict today in the case of James Michael Abbott, on trial for second-degree assault stemming from an incident at the Star Tavern in which a man’s skull was cracked.
The other man, Gary Dvojack, is in a nursing home with long term injuries, prosecutors said on Monday.
Not guilty by reason of self defense, Abbott’s attorney Don Blair said this afternoon.
They deliberated about two hours, according to Blair.
The trial in Lewis County Superior Court began on Monday.
Jurors heard Dvojack was stumbling drunk, propositioned a female bartender and as Abbott was trying to get him to leave, Dvojack touched or hit the 49-year-old Chehalis man who pushed or shoved him back last November.
Sixty-five-year-old Dvojack fell back and hit his head on the concrete floor.
Blair said his client didn’t want to stand by while the bartender could have been injured, and Dvojack turned his attention to his client and said he was gonna “kick his ass”.
Abbott didn’t hit him, or head butt him or kick him, all he did was push him, Blair said.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
I am very sorry for the man that is in the nursing home, but if they story actually is true about the other man “just pushing” him, then I am glad he didn’t get charged. I believe people should some what expected to be in harms way once they walk into those bar doors. I have heard of people getting into fights and someone else being hurt just because they were in wrong place at the wrong time. I really do feel bad for the man that got hurt I hope his injuries are not long term.