Jury Acquits Black Homeless Man Claiming Self-Defense in Portland Stabbing After Victim Shouted N-Word

Portland Jury Acquits Man in Stabbing Linked to Racial Slur

There’s been quite a stir in Portland over the latest verdict in a shocking downtown stabbing case. Gary Edwards, a homeless man with a rough past, was found not guilty after a jury heard he was provoked by a racial slur.

The scene played out on a July day, with Edwards and Gregory Howard Jr., both 43 and living on the streets, crossing paths. Things got heated fast. Edwards had approached Howard with a knife, and before anyone could blink, tensions flared. But it wasn’t just the knife that cut deep; the real blow came when Howard reportedly hurled the N-word at Edwards, right after being stabbed. This dramatic revelation steered the jury’s decision.

The case caught attention not just for the racial undertones but because both men are no strangers to the system, with lengthy rap sheets trailing behind them. Jury members saw video footage – no sound, just visuals – of the encounter. Edwards’ defense? He was seeking a trade-off, a knife for smokes, allegedly a standard deal gone dangerously awry.

In court, the defense attorney argued hard that the slur shifted the encounter to self-defense. Police bodycams later confirmed the verbal assault, capturing Howard’s words in the aftermath. It was a key turning point.

In the end, the jury’s decision left some shaking their heads and others applauding. It was a stark reflection of how pivotal words can be, especially when tensions run this high in a city that’s no stranger to controversy.