Venancio VigilL Jr.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The jury trial for a 40-year-old man accused of stabbing another man last summer continued Monday with the defense presenting its side of the case.
Venancio “Vincent” Vigil Jr. is charged with attempted first-degree murder with an alternate count of aggravated battery for the stabbing of Francisco Gracia Jr.
Testimony Monday included Retired Police Detective Dean Harcrow, who told of his interview with Martin Greathouse. Greathouse was sleeping on the couch when the attack occurred. Harcrow admitted that Greathouse could not identify Vigil as the one who attacked Gracia.
Also on the stand was Deandre Pannell, who testified to a conversation that he had with Anthony Berends in September of last year. Berends claimed he stabbed someone and that he was arrested. But, he never said who he stabbed.
On cross-examination, District Attorney Keith Schroeder asked him why he didn’t call police if he had information on someone else stabbing the victim. He told the jury that he called Lynn Burke, the defense attorney in this case, instead. Schroeder pressed him over him not allowing police to investigate his claim. Schroeder also told of Berends being interviewed over the stabbing and ruled him out as a suspect.
Burke got Pannell to admit he didn’t trust police, that’s why he didn’t call them.
Gracia, who was stabbed several times, including in the stomach, was in ICU at a Wichita hospital for five days after the attack. He had emergency surgery at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center.
The case is expected to continue into Tuesday.