BERKSHIRE EAGLE- September 23, 2012

PITTSFIELD >> A city teen accused of threatening to murder a neighbor last April was found not guilty of the charges on Wednesday after a Central Berkshire District Court Jury of Six trial. In a one-day trial Jevaughn Ainsley, 18, of Columbus Avenue, was found not guilty of felony witness intimidation and threat to commit murder, a misdemeanor.

The charges were related to an April 12 shooting incident in the area of Columbus and Daniels avenues. That night, according to police, shots rang out, Ainsley was seen running from the area and witnesses overheard a conversation in which Ainsley was threatened with death. The next day Ainsley allegedly confronted his neighbor, Jessica Bombidier, about what she may have witnessed related to the shooting. Police said Ainsley refused to leave Bombidier's yard and told her not to "go to sleep" and to " watch her back," before making a slicing motion across his throat with his finger.

At trial, Ainsley's attorney, Marc C. Vincelette Sr., argued that the alleged victim was actually the aggressor and that she made the allegations against Ainsley because she was angry over her daughter's friendship with him.

The jury of three men and three women took about two hours to reach a not guilty verdict.

According to Vincelette, Ainsley, who is Jamaican by birth, remains incarcerated at the Berkshire County Jail & House of Correction while federal immigration officials begin deportation proceedings against him.