BERKSHIRE EAGLE- August 1, 2016

PITTSFIELD >> A Berkshire County jury of six took less than 30 minutes to acquit Timothy Tatro of a domestic assault and battery charge. "Mr. Tatro was adamant of his innocence from the day I accepted his case two years ago," said his attorney, Marc C. Vincelette in a statement. "He got his day in court and the jury agreed with him."

Tatro, 34, had been accused of grabbing a woman by the head and putting her in a choke hold hard enough to lift her off the ground during a drunken argument in September 2014. Vincelette argued there were no corresponding injuries or signs of struggle on the woman which would have indicated she was subjected to a one-minute or longer choke hold.

"(Tatro) began getting struck and only used his hands to hold the alleged victim's arms against her body to stop her assault on him," said Vincelette.

The trial began last Thursday and concluded Monday after the jury delivered its verdict.

The case was heard before Judge Michael Ripps. Tatro faced up to 2 1/2 years in jail, had he been convicted.