Spencer guilty, Tabor not

From the Winston-Salem Journal:

After a nearly three-hour trial yesterday that featured often heated exchanges between attorneys, Nathan Tabor, the chairman of the Forsyth County Republican Party, was found not guilty of assaulting a man during a protest early this summer in Greensboro.

But Judge Susan Bray of Guilford District Court convicted Govenor Vance Spencer, the man accused of slugging Tabor in the face, of simple assault and communicating threats. Bray did not sentence Spencer to jail time, but Spencer will have a conviction on his record and will have to pay court costs.

Spencer says he was "pushed."

Thanks to commentator Triad Agitator for bringing  this to my attention. The portions of the protest video that show what I had described as Nathan Tabor taking a "left-handed punch (or shove)" at Govenor Spencer before Spencer punches Tabor captures an act that Spencer himself describes as a "push" near the end of the video (in the neck as reported by the Winston-Salem Journal.)

On the edited video, Tabor follows Spencer to Spencer's car with his camera where the two men have this exchange.

Tabor: "Sir, stick around, the police wants to talk to you."

Spencer: "I beg your pardon."

T: "Stick around the police wanna talk to you."

S: "Take that camera and shove it up your ass, alright? Now if you're gonna fuck around, you'll get hurt."

T: "You've already hit me..."

S: "[inaudible] you pushed me."

T: "...you threatening me again?"

S; "You pushed me."

T: "You pushed my wife."

S: "I didn't push your wife."

T: "Yep, I got it on video."

S: "[inaudible] off the sidewalk."

The video Tabor refers to, that he claims shows Spencer pushing his wife, has not been publicly produced.

Local media coverage of the Greensboro protest violence.

June 8, 2010, Greensboro, NC: a fight at a protest in front of Congressman Mel Watt's office involving the Forsyth County Republican Party chair.

• The story broke locally on Guarino's blog.
• WGHP had a report that night.
• The News & Record reported that WGHP was reporting on it.
• WXII had a report.
• WFMY hasn't had a peep. (Although they covered another local protest two days later.)
• The most professional and informative coverage is from The Winston-Salem Journal.

[Update: Added WXII]

Tabor slowmo

Without the written commentary, here is an animation made of key frames from new video of the Tabor/Sanders affray in Greensboro, NC on June 8, 2010. This is immediately prior to Tabor (white shirt) getting punched by Spencer (black shirt).

Here are the five individual frames:

But, but, but... He started it! Tabor swung before getting punched

{Update: Here is a better compilation of the frames.]

Nathan Tabor has found quick fame as the peaceful innocent protester who was attacked without provocation in Greensboro, NC on June 8th. He was on Fox's Neil Cavuto yesterday afternoon as the video of him being punched in the face was played again and again.

Apparently Nathan Tabor and Govenor Spencer have both been charged as a result of the fight. If either goes to trial, I am sure the video evidence will be a big factor, and I'm not sure it will support Tabor's narrative.

There were clearly at least two cameras taping during the affray. Only a single clip, composed of selected segments from both cameras has been released (and now removed from YouTube for terms of service violations).

Full video from both cameras will be instructive. There may have been things captured that are not in the released clip. There may relevant evidence that neither camera captured, but I saved a copy of the original and looking at it more carefully this morning, it shows that Tabor punched or shoved Spencer immediately prior to Spencer throwing the punch that struck Tabor in the face and is getting all the airplay.

Take a look at these three frames, in the sequence in which they occur.:

1) Here, Tabor is in the background, center, white shirt. He is following through on a left-handed punch (or shove) that has Spencer (black shirt), falling away from Tabor. The cuff of Tabor's shirt is seen to the left of Spencer's head. The lady in blue has reached up to steady Spencer.

2) Here is a split second later, from Tabor's camera. Spencer's hand is seen (lower left corner) grabbing Tabor's forearm. Tabor's fist is clenched. The lady in blue is reaching for her purse.

3) What follows is Spencer's punch to Tabor's face. This is the moment of contact, the lady in blue moving away from the fight.

Fight erupts at Greensboro protest

[Update: Fox 8 reports, including identifying the two primary parties: one, the camera man, as head of the Forsyth County Republican Party and former congressional and NC senate candidate Nathan Tabor the other as Govenor Spencer, of Greensboro. Fox8 reports that both men have filed charges against each other.]

A fight erupted at a protest outside of Congressman Mel Watt's office. Joe Guarino says the protesters were from Conservatives for Guilford County. Commentators at Guarino's express doubt the local mainstream media will cover the affray.

[THE VIDEO WAS REMOVED FROM YOUTUBE FOR TERMS OF SERVICE VIOLATIONS]