A Portland jury acquitted a man who admitted to stabbing a stranger after video captured the victim using a racial slur in the aftermath of the attack.

Multnomah County prosecutors charged Gary Edwards 43 with second-degree assault for the July 7 knife attack on Gregory Howard Jr. near the Union Station MAX stop according to Oregon Live. Edwards faced five years and 10 months in state prison under Oregon’s Measure 11 sentencing law.

Edwards testified he acted in self-defense after Howard yelled the slur at him. Howard denied using the word before the stabbing.

Transit cameras showed Edwards approaching Howard from behind with a fixed-blade knife as Howard sat on a bench. Howard jumped up and pushed Edwards when he saw him. The two scuffled briefly before Edwards stabbed Howard in the shoulder.

Defense attorney Daniel Small told jurors the key evidence came later when security officers recorded Howard shouting the racial slur on body cameras.

“What other than racism could explain why Mr. Howard perceived hatred, animosity and aggression from a complete stranger.”

Small asked the jury this question.

Prosecutor Katherine Williams argued the slur was irrelevant since Howard said it after the attack.

“The defendant is not scared for his life. He didn’t retreat, he sauntered up — and he sauntered away after he stabbed someone. The defendant created the situation.”

The jury sided with Edwards.

Both men are homeless with violent criminal histories. Edwards was sentenced to three years for a 2020 stabbing at a different 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. Portland police arrested Edwards through the Central Bike Squad.

The video evidence clearly showing Edwards approaching Howard from behind with a knife should have been dispositive. This was not a mutual confrontation but a deliberate attack on an unsuspecting victim.

Howard pushing Edwards when he saw the knife coming at him represents a normal defensive reaction. Anyone would try to protect themselves from someone sneaking up behind them with a weapon.

The defense attorney’s argument that racism explains Howard’s perception makes no logical sense. Howard could not have perceived anything from Edwards before the attack because Edwards came from behind.

Edwards admitting to the stabbing combined with video proof should have resulted in conviction. The only dispute was whether self-defense applied which the video clearly disproves.

The racial slur Howard used after being stabbed became the centerpiece of the defense despite occurring after the attack. The jury essentially ruled that saying a bad word justifies being stabbed.

Prosecutor Williams accurately describing Edwards as sauntering up and sauntering away captures the casual nature of the attack. Edwards showed no fear or urgency consistent with genuine self-defense.

Her point that Edwards created the situation is indisputable based on the video. He initiated the encounter by approaching with a deadly weapon.

The jury’s decision to acquit despite overwhelming evidence demonstrates how racial politics can override facts. They prioritized the slur over the stabbing.

Edwards’s prior conviction for a 2020 stabbing at another MAX station shows a pattern of violence. He previously attacked someone with a knife at a transit location just like this incident.

Howard’s 1997 conviction for felony rape of a child makes him a despicable person. However even child rapists have the right not to be stabbed by strangers on public transit.

Both men being homeless with violent histories suggests Portland’s permissive policies create dangerous conditions. The city allows repeat violent offenders to roam transit stations attacking people.

The stabbing happening at 9:30 in the morning shows transit violence occurs in broad daylight not just late at night. Law-abiding commuters face danger at all hours.

Defense attorney Small’s question about what other than racism could explain Howard’s perception ignores the obvious answer. Howard perceived danger because someone was sneaking up behind him with a knife.

The jury’s verdict sends a message that racial slurs justify violence in Portland. This will encourage more attacks as people feel empowered to assault others who use offensive language.