Vernon L. Zeigler acquitted in Oak Harbor assault case

A jury has acquitted Vernon L. Zeigler of second-degree assault following a violent confrontation outside an Oak Harbor convenience store in April. The verdict comes after a previous trial in August ended in a mistrial when jurors deadlocked 10-2 in favor of acquittal.

Zeigler maintained that his actions were in self-defense, claiming the victim, a 46-year-old man, had repeatedly used racial epithets against him. While the victim suffered significant facial injuries requiring stitches and medical transport to Seattle, he had no memory of the incident. Defense attorney John McCaskill argued that prosecutors failed to prove the injuries resulted from conduct that was not legally justified as self-defense, noting that available video footage did not capture the start of the altercation.