May 10—An Anderson County jury found Richard Garcia Quinones not guilty Thursday on the charge of aggravated-assault with a deadly weapon

"Although we believe the evidence in trial showed guilt, the jury disagreed and we respect that decision," said District Attorney Allyson Mitchell.

The trial began Monday, May 8 in the 87th District Court with Judge Amy Thomas Ward presiding and the verdict came back at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 10.

Quinones was being tried on the charge of assaulting Frenando Vega with a tire iron in May 2020. He was represented by Attorney Stanley Sokolowski.

District Attorney Allyson Mitchell and her Assistant DA Scott Holden represented the State.

Interpreters were used in this trail.

The jury for the trial was made up of seven women, five men and one male alternate. All were Caucasian.

According to Mitchell, she and her team presented the evidence provided to them by law enforcement. The jury heard testimonies from Vega, his girlfriends, Quinones' wife and two Palestine Police Officers.

Sokolowski countered the State's witnesses claims for Quinones with self-defense.

"At the conclusion of the trail, the jury did not believe that aggravated assault with a deadly weapon could be found beyond a reasonable doubt," Mitchell said. "Whether the not-guilty decision was based on the self-defense claim or some other evidentiary defect is unknown to the State."

Sokolowski and Quinones said they were very pleased with the outcome of this trial.

"Richard and I are thankful for the not guilty verdict," Sokolowski said. "We appreciate the jurors' time and effort in reaching that verdict. Without citizens like them, our legal system cannot function as it's constitutionally designed."

This was Quinones' second trial this year. In March he was found not guilty of the murder of Jesus Vigil-Limon, and aggravated assault of his brother, Jose Vigil-Limon in the District court of Judge Deborah Oakes Evans.

Quinones remains in the Anderson County Jail on a pending parole revocation.