Attorney Jeff Barrar won a not-guilty verdict on Sept. 8 for a father accused of assaulting his adult son.

The father was charged with fourth-degree assault domestic violence, a gross misdemeanor with a maximum punishment of a year in jail. On June 9, the man’s wife called 911 and reported that her husband was drunk and belligerent and saying mean things to the family so she wanted him to go to the “drunk tank” for the night.

Asked specifically by the emergency dispatcher whether her husband had assaulted anyone, she said no. She later mentioned that her son punched her husband in the face, and once the dispatcher started questioning her about that, she said her son had to throw the punch because his dad “chest-bumped” him.

During the daylong trial in Clark County District Court, the 21-year-old son testified that he approached his father with his fists clenched and stood toe-to-toe with him. He said his father bumped him with his chest, so he punched him in the face, knocking him to the ground, and then punched him a second time.

Barrar said the jurors appeared confused as to why the father was charged with assault and not the son.

Jurors deliberated approximately 20 minutes before returning the not-guilty verdict.