Opinion ID: 854128
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Christopher McEwen

Text: Taking the stand in his own defense, McEwen gave a different account. He testified that he got home around midnight after having a few drinks with some friends. Bowie was on his way out the door and Jackson was gathering her things and appeared upset. McEwen and Jackson started arguing until Officer Weaver appeared and told McEwen that Jackson was planning to leave. McEwen testified he dropped the stereo on the porch because he was upset. After Weaver left a few minutes later, McEwen helped Jackson move things to her car and repeatedly asked her what was wrong. She eventually said that she was sick of him. McEwen grabbed her by the arm to get her attention and she snatched away from him. He then realized that Jackson had a knife and tried to take it from her. McEwen testified to what happened next: We wrestled back and forth with the knife and we both fell to the ground. And, then after we fell, I got up and I had the knife. Tina got up to walk away and I asked her, I guess you're going to call the police again. McEwen put the knife in his pocket and went inside to treat scratches to his eye, hand, and shoulder that he later assumed were received during the struggle. He conceded that Jackson was stabbed as they fought over the knife, but claimed that he had no idea how the stabbing occurred and did not learn until later that she was even injured. McEwen denied (1) trying to kill Jackson or trying to stab or lunge at her with the knife; and (2) hitting Jackson with the Club device or anything else that night. McEwen testified that he could not recall saying how'd that get there when the knife was found in his pocket or if that police officer wasn't here when Jackson was gathering her things in the house.