PORT ANGELES — Casey Joseph Balch’s second-degree murder case went to a Clallam County jury Tuesday.
Closing arguments in the case stemming from a June 2012 bar fight were delivered Tuesday afternoon. The nine-woman, three-man jury began deliberations at about 3:30 p.m.
Balch, 23, of Port Angeles is charged with second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter and second-degree aggravated assault for “reckless infliction of substantial bodily harm” that caused the death of Donald Knechtel in a fight outside the Front Street Alibi bar in Port Angeles on June 1, 2012, charging papers said.
Attorneys for both sides did not dispute that Balch, then 21, punched the 48-year-old Marysville man in the face.
Knechtel fell to the ground, fractured his skull and died nine days later at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
One punch
Port Angeles police said Knechtel was trying to break up a fight between Balch and Knechtel’s friend, Clint Crook of Bothell, when Balch crouched down, sprang up and hit Knechtel with one punch.
Clallam County Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney John Troberg said Balch broke Knechtel’s nose with a “haymaker.”
“’You call me a punk, I handle my [expletive],’” Troberg said, quoting Balch in a police interview.
“That’s what this case is about.”
Defense attorney Karen Unger countered that Crook and Knechtel were the aggressors, that the two larger men followed Balch into the parking lot after her client was kicked out.
‘Looking for a fight’
“They came outside looking for a fight with that little punk right there,” Unger said, pointing to Balch.
Witnesses testified that Crook put Balch into a headlock before the 5-foot-7, 130-pound Balch broke free.
“They wouldn’t leave him alone,” Unger told the jury.
“[Balch] told you when he testified he thought he was going to get beat up.”
Knechtel approached Balch in the parking lot — some witnesses said Knechtel put his arms up, saying, “Casey, stop!” while others said Balch was pushed — before Knechtel was punched in the face and fell to the ground.
“This is not a case of self defense,” Clallam County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Michele Devlin said.
“This is a case of retaliation.”
Like Troberg, Devlin quoted what Balch purportedly said in the parking lot before punching Knechtel.
“’You want to [expletive] with me?’” Devlin said, repeating earlier testimony.
Knechtel, who was 6-foot-1 and 189 pounds, “fell over like a tree” after one punch because he had a blood alcohol level of 0.295 percent, Unger said.
The legal driving limit in Washington is 0.08 percent.
Before the altercation, Knechtel and Crook had ordered at least 17 beers and nine shots of Fireball cinnamon whisky, Unger said.
Balch, too, admitted that he was intoxicated when the fight occurred shortly after 11 p.m.
“Don’t convict my client because somebody died,” Unger told the jury.
“It’s nobody’s fault, legally, under the facts that were presented to you in this case.”
The maximum penalties if Balch is found guilty are life imprisonment for second-degree felony murder, life imprisonment for first-degree manslaughter and 10 years for second-degree aggravated assault.
Balch had been released on $200,000 bail.
About 25 people attended closing arguments in Clallam County Superior Court.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
