Drunk driver who assaulted a police officer sentenced to 75 days in jail - News - MailTribune.com - Medford, OR

Mail Tribune (Medford, OR — Wayback)

2015-07-15

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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation  |  Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED   » NEWS NOW   Saved by the Pit Crew       ...       Our View: Campaign money train has left the station       ...       Prosecution: Father tried to arrange assault on babysitter       ...       Saved by the Pit Crew       ...       Our View: Campaign money train has left the station       ...       Prosecution: Father tried to arrange assault on babysitter       ...           CRIME Drunk driver who assaulted a police officer sentenced to 75 days in jail One involved officer testified that he would have felt justified killing Paxton during the assault Comment By Sam Wheeler Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Sam Wheeler Mail Tribune Posted Sep. 29, 2014 at 4:10 PM By Sam Wheeler Mail Tribune Posted Sep. 29, 2014 at 4:10 PM »  RELATED CONTENT • 'Just another drunk driver that didn't want to go to jail' »  Social News An Alaska man who claimed he was brutalized by Medford police while being arrested for drunken driving in December 2012 was ordered today to serve a 75-day jail sentence. Chad Ray Paxton was found guilty by a Jackson County jury Thursday of assaulting a peace officer, resisting arrest, second-degree escape and driving under the influence of intoxicants, Oregon Judicial Department records show. Concerning the charge of assaulting a peace officer, t he jury returned a verdict of 10 votes for guilty and two not-guilty votes, said Christopher Missiaen, Paxton's attorney.  Oregon is one of two states, the other being Louisiana, that allows non-unanimous jury rulings in felony trials. Paxton, who was found guilty of assaulting Medford Police Department  Officer Jenny Newell,   was acquitted of assaulting Medford police Cpl. Tom Venables, court records show.  Missiaen said Venables testified that he would have felt justified killing Paxton during the assault involving himself, Newell and Paxton. Missiaen said his argument in court was that Newell and Venables fabricated the facts of their scuffle with Paxton in order to justify their use of force. Video taken at the scene through the windshield of Newell's police car shows Newell attempting to have Paxton perform field sobriety tests while Venables keeps an eye on Paxton's two passengers. When Newell attempts to arrest Paxton, Venables approaches them to provide support. But the trio quickly tumble to the ground in front of the car Paxton was driving, the video shows. The jury deliberated for about an hour before returning the verdict, said Jackson County Deputy District Attorney Nick Geil, who prosecuted the case. Paxton, 29, was sentenced by Jackson County Circuit Court Judge Lorenzo Mejia.  In addition to 75 days in jail, he will face three years of supervised probation and  pay restitution as well as court fees and fines. Reach reporter Sam Wheeler at 541-776-4471 or [email protected] . Follow him at www.twitter.com/swhlr . By Sam Wheeler Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Sam Wheeler Mail Tribune Posted Sep. 29, 2014 at 4:10 PM » Comment or view comments   Reader Reaction »  STAY INFORMED   Email NewsLetter   Sign Up Today   Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed   Email newsletter   Sign Up Today   Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.    Privacy Policy  |  Terms of Service  |  Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501