After a year-and-a-half of waiting, three days of testimony and almost a dozen witnesses, William Harrison was found not guilty of aggravated assault Wednesday, Sept. 18 at Sagadahoc County Court House.

Harrison was, however, found guilty of misdemeanor assault against Gregory Vrooman in April, 2012 in Wiscasset Superior Court.

The jury deliberated for less than two hours before coming back to charge Harrison with the lesser offense.

In his closing arguments to the jury, Harrison's lawyer, Clifford Strike, ceded the assault but said there was no way a motive could be ascribed to Harrison, nor could the state effectively say the attack was aggravated.

A large portion of the evidence depended on Vrooman's testimony, which Strike said was not the most reliable. On Tuesday Vrooman said he suffered dizzy spells after the attack.

“He said he was dizzy,” Strike said. “There was no evidence besides his testimony. You saw him, he was fine. If he was dizzy that's because he was just convicted as a child molester.”

Strike argued that the injuries Vrooman suffered did not add up to serious bodily harm and therefore Harrison could not be convicted of aggravated assault, which is a felony.

Vrooman is currently incarcerated for four counts each of unlawful sexual contact, unlawful sexual touching and assault against Harrison's daughter, who was between 12 and 13 years old at the time.

The injuries he sustained happened when he was still a free man and under the full protection of the law in one of Lincoln County's most sacred places, Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Liberman said in his closing remarks.

“Is it a good thing? Is it a good thing that this happened in a court house? Is it a good thing that it happened before the verdict? Is it a good thing that he beat someone to a bloody pulp in front of children?” Liberman said. “I submit that it is not a good thing; that community gained nothing from Mr. Harrison's action.

“Mr. Vrooman is in jail. He lost his job. He got what was coming to him. It was selfish to take matters into (Harrison's) hands.”

Liberman had argued that the multiple skull fractures and weeks of dizziness that followed pushed the assault into aggravated territory. Liberman asked the jury to forget what Vrooman had done, and just focus on the trial at hand.

“A fair trial is sacred,” he said. “If there is anywhere you can feel safe, it's in a court of law. It doesn't matter if you've been accused of something heinous or evil.”

Sentencing will be October 30 in West Bath. The maximum sentence for simple assault is 364 days in jail. Felony aggravated assault carried with it a 10-year maximum sentence.

Ben Bulkeley can be reached at 207-633-4620 or bbulkeley@boothbayregister.com. Follow him on Twitter: @BBRegisterBen