The Washoe County District Attorney’s Office asked a jury to find Gregory Poole guilty of murder with a deadly weapon with a race enhancement for an altercation that took place in October of 2014.
Hardy Law Group, a local law firm, announced last week that the jury found Poole’s involvement in the altercation did not constitute murder and that race was not an issue.
In October of 2014, Jerome “Skinny” Neal, annoyed with a group of acquaintances over the loss of his cell phone, attacked one of the acquaintances with a portable speaker, causing a large gash requiring nine stitches.
Attempting to help the victim, Poole tried to stop the assault by pushing Neal away and ultimately ended up stabbing Neal in the butt with a small knife, stopping the attack.
Neal was taken to Renown Hospital and ultimately succumbed to his injuries as a result of a severed artery.
“The Washoe County District Attorney’s Office charged Poole with open murder with a deadly weapon as well as a race enhancement, a charge that could have resulted in life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted,” according to Hardy Law Group.
Despite the murder accusations, Poole’s conduct in assisting the victim did not rise to the level of murder with a deadly weapon, according to the law firm.
“While no verdict can replace the life that was lost in this unfortunate sequence of events, we believe that justice was served,” said Richard Molezzo, Poole’s attorney. “Mr. Poole is grateful that the legal processed worked and is eager to put this difficult and painful ordeal behind him.”
Poole is scheduled to be sentenced for involuntary manslaughter on December 8, 2015 by Judge Jerome Polaha in Second Judicial District Court.
