KEITH WHITCOMB JR.
Staff Writer
BENNINGTON -- A Shaftsbury man accused last year of slashing his brother’s arm with a knife was found not guilty by a jury Wednesday after a 45 minute deliberation.
Lawrence K. Dunn Jr., 25, of Reddy Road, pleaded not guilty in May of last year to a charge of aggravated domestic assault with a weapon. He had been free on court imposed conditions.
According to a State Police affidavit, troopers went to a home on Reddy Road shortly after midnight in response to a report of a family fight. There they met with Dunn’s brother, who said he and Dunn had been in an argument, started shoving, and claimed Dunn had slashed his arm with what he thought was a knife. Police said they did see a large gash on the brother’s arm and a great deal of blood in the area.
"This is a case where the client really didn’t commit the crime and I was relieved when the jury agreed with that," said Manchester attorney Stephen Saltonstall, who represented Dunn.
Saltonstall said there were a number of witnesses to the physical actions that took place and according to him, none said they saw a knife. Police also did not recover a knife from the scene. He said his client testified that he did not use a knife on his brother, while his brother said he was too intoxicated to recall that evening clearly.
The trial began shortly before noon on Tuesday and the jury began deliberating at noon on Wednesday.
Deputy State’s Attorney Alexander Burke, who prosecuted the case, declined to comment.
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