A man who punched a woman in the face over a parking spot was convicted Tuesday of a misdemeanor assault charge but cleared of a more serious felony in his second trial over a clash that left her brain-damaged.
Oscar Fuller, 36, could face up to a year in jail at a June 18 sentencing. Still, he felt vindicated by his acquittal on the felony assault charge, defense lawyer Thomas Kenniff said after the verdict.
"My client feels like he had his day in court and he stood by his innocence," Kenniff said.
Six months after a previous jury deadlocked, another panel deliberated for about a day before deciding a case that stood out as an extreme even for a city known for space crunches and competitiveness.
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. called it shameful that "a petty argument over a parking space could escalate into physical violence." The Los Angeles Times called the case an illustration of "the weightiness of New York City's parking woes."
