STATE v. JC

Result: Not Guilty Jury Verdict

JC was charged with battery at a business in Lakeland while at a concert.  JC owns a clothing line and sponsored 4 of the bands playing on the night of the incident.  Alleged victim was dancing chaotically on the dance floor and bumped into JC.  JC pushed the Alleged Victim back to the dance floor twice as is customary for this type of concert.  After the second push, a third party ran in from behind the Alleged Victim and hit him in the back of the head.  After the initial punch, JC was alleged to have run to the dance floor and attacked the Alleged Victim while he was temporarily stunned.  Jason Mayberry advised JC to take this case to trial as he felt JC had a good self defense defense based upon JC’s version of the facts as relayed to Mayberry.  After selecting a favorable jury, Jason Mayberry and Jeff Rich tried State v. JC to jury verdict, earning a full ACQUITTAL for their client.  On cross examination Jeff Rich was able to get one witness to admit she had no recollection of how many punches were thrown, despite her great attempts at elusiveness.  Jason Mayberry was able to successfully cross examine the alleged victim and elicit testimony that the alleged victim was, and admitted to the investigating detective, that he was “pissed” and looking for a fight after the initial punch from the third party.  Mayberry was also able to elicit testimony from the alleged victim that his body language, facial expression, and general demeanor indicated his anger and that he in fact took an aggressive step toward Mayberry’s client.  After a closing argument pointing out the common sense argument that JC was at this concert on business and that to fight would be counterintuitive to his business, the jury found JC NOT GUILTY.