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It has been a year since a Beaches Jazz Festival knife fight sparked by a three-year-old black Labrador Retriever left a man — then a 24-year-old — slashed open across the face, for which he still has nightmares.
Monday, he was found not guilty of attempted murder and aggravated battery.
Two days after the May 2017 confrontation, Hynes was attacked as he tried to protect the dying pup from a neighbor and two others, said his attorney, Joanna Feliciano.
Hynes was found guilty on a charge of simple assault — with the count being lowered from attempted murder because of a lack of intent.
His defense team, Feliciano said, argued he wasn’t able to have any intent because the dog bite wasn’t in self-defense and it was something Hynes put the dog through hours before the incident.
“What brought [Mychael] to the residence is that he was attacked by a family dog, she said. “They were actually supposed to be taking [Mychael] for a walk.”
An autopsy showed Mychael’s lacerations went from ear to ear, Feliciano said. One wound at the front of his left ear was 20 centimeters (8 inches) long, the rest were 6 centimeters (2 inches).
Feliciano added that because the front of Mychael’s ear was “brushed up against” the table, it looked as if someone had stabbed him there.
The dogs’ owners are cousins: Lesie Fergusson was there; her brother, Danny Hancock, was present.
When Mychael was attacked, Fergusson came to his rescue, kicking off her sandals to reach him. But the four men were armed.
Hynes threw a stone that struck Hancock, cutting off one of his legs. Hancock escaped, but Fergusson was sliced open.
The others pinned Hynes down, not allowing him to call 911.
According to prosecutors, he had been upset because they had accidentally pulled Mychael from a pool hose.
The dog was later taken away, euthanized.