Man charged with assaulting Marine acquitted by jury

Man cleared of assaulting Marine at nightclub
Confrontation outside Costa Mesa nightclub sent victim to hospital in critical condition.
By GREG HARDESTY
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
June 18, 2012

SANTA ANA – A man who police say blindsided and assaulted a Marine outside a Costa Mesa nightclub last year, sending him to a hospital in critical condition, has been found not guilty of the assault.

An Orange County jury took about 90 minutes to acquit Mark Allen Vasquez, 25, of Pico Rivera, of battery with serious bodily injury and assault with a deadly weapon other than a gun, his attorney, William Bruzzo, told City News Service.

With sentencing enhancements that came with the charges, Vasquez was looking at a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison if he had been convicted, Bruzzo said.

Friday's verdict was "the right thing," Bruzzo told City News Service. "He was innocent of this crime."

The Marine recovered and is back on active duty in Hawaii, Bruzzo said.
read more here