Jacob Brownfield found guilty in New Year’s bar beating

ZANESVILLE – A 30-year-old man accused of severely beating another man at a bar on New Year’s Eve has been convicted of felonious assault.

A jury of seven men and five women found Jacob A. Brownfield guilty on the second-degree felony on Thursday after less than 10 minutes of deliberation.

The South Zanesville Police Department arrested Brownfield just after midnight on New Year’s Day after he reportedly knocked a man unconscious at the South Town Café.

Brownfield, of 1524 Venus Place, rejected a plea deal from the Muskingum County Prosecutor’s Office that included three to four years in prison.

He now faces a maximum of eight years in prison. Judge Kelly Cottrill ordered a presentence investigation and revoked Brownfield’s bond.

The state will recommend a sentence at a later date, said Assistant Muskingum County Prosecutor Ron Welch.

Welch and Assistant Prosecutor Gerald Anderson tried the case.

The beating was the result of an apparent conflict between the victim and Brownfield’s friend, according to witness testimony.

The state’s witnesses testified the victim was intoxicated and his wife was helping him from the bar when Brownfield confronted him.

Brownfield punched the man, knocking him to the ground. He then hit the victim several more times, fracturing the roof of his mouth and knocking out several teeth.

The victim is still suffering from long-term effects, including headaches and a diet restricted to mostly soft food, officials said.

“We were very satisfied with the outcome and that the jury reached such a quick decision,” Welch said. “It’s very satisfying to know that our community recognized that words alone are not sufficient to assault someone.”

Brownfield’s attorney Eric Allen did not return a message from the Times Recorder on Friday seeking comment.

elagatta@zanesvilletimesrecorder.com

740-450-6753

Twitter: @EricLagatta