A Portland jury found a man not guilty of assault after he admitted to stabbing a stranger, citing self-defense in an encounter that was partially captured on video and involved the use of a racial slur.
Multnomah County prosecutors charged Gary Edwards, 43, with second-degree assault stemming from a July 7 stabbing of Gregory Howard Jr. near the Union Station MAX stop, according to Oregon Live. Under Oregon’s Measure 11 law, Edwards faced a potential sentence of five years and 10 months in prison if convicted.
Edwards testified that he acted in self-defense, saying Howard shouted a racial slur at him during the confrontation. Howard denied using the slur before the stabbing.
Surveillance footage from transit cameras showed Edwards approaching Howard from behind while holding a fixed-blade knife as Howard sat on a bench. When Howard noticed Edwards, he stood up and pushed him. The two briefly struggled before Edwards stabbed Howard in the shoulder.
Defense attorney Daniel Small argued that footage recorded afterward was critical to understanding Edwards’ mindset. Body camera video from security officers captured Howard repeatedly shouting the racial slur following the incident.
“What other than racism could explain why Mr. Howard perceived hatred, animosity, and aggression from a complete stranger?” Small asked jurors.
Prosecutor Katherine Williams contended the slur was irrelevant because it was spoken after the stabbing. She argued Edwards was not acting out of fear. “The defendant is not scared for his life. He didn’t retreat — he sauntered up, and he sauntered away after he stabbed someone,” Williams told the jury. “The defendant created the situation.”
Jurors ultimately acquitted Edwards.
Court records show both men are homeless and have prior violent criminal histories. Edwards previously received a three-year sentence for a 2020 stabbing at another MAX station. Howard was convicted of felony rape of a child in Washington state in 1997.
The stabbing occurred shortly after 9:30 a.m., according to KPTV. Edwards was arrested by Portland police officers assigned to the Central Bike Squad.
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