A 2020 incident in Gaston County left Meredith Scruggs hospitalized for several months following an assault on the street. Kyle Gray, the mixed martial arts coach accused of punching him, was convicted on Friday.
Defendant’s testimony
“I was defending myself. I was defending myself,” stated Kyle Gray on Friday afternoon before receiving his sentence.
Gray, a mixed martial arts coach, took the stand in Gaston County Court on Friday. He faced charges stemming from an incident in August 2020 where he allegedly assaulted and beat Meredith Scruggs, then 70 years old, on the street.
Gray’s lawyer, Jeremy Smith, argued that Gray’s actions four years ago were in self-defense.
“I was scared he was going to kill me,” Gray claimed.
“Based on what?” Smith inquired.
“He had a weapon in his pocket,” Gray responded.
According to Gray’s attorney, the altercation started as a street assault near Wilkinson Boulevard and Main Street, during which Scruggs reportedly threatened Gray. However, prosecutors contended that Gray used his martial arts expertise to inflict severe harm on Scruggs.
Prosecutor Rebecca Mills probed Gray about his professional training.
“What was your training like?” she asked.
“It involved grappling with other individuals,” Gray explained.
“Were you training for combat scenarios?” she questioned.
“Yes,” Gray affirmed.
“Did this training include striking?” she probed.
“Yes,” Gray confirmed.
After the street altercation, Scruggs endured an extended hospitalization. Despite Scruggs’ injuries, Gray’s attorney contended that Scruggs initiated the altercation.
Verdict
A jury convicted Gray of misdemeanor assault causing serious bodily harm. The judge sentenced him to 75 days in prison, the maximum penalty for the offense.
At the time of the sentencing, Gray was already serving time in pretrial detention, and the judge ordered him to pay $22,530 in restitution as a civil ruling.
Opening statement
Channel 9’s Ken Lemon made his initial appearance in court on Tuesday. During the proceedings, Gray’s attorney alleged that Scruggs threatened to kill her and restrained her.
Jurors heard these statements and received testimony from a man who still suffers from the assault four years later. Scruggs, now 74, testified that he spent several months in the hospital after the altercation with Gray, asserting that this incident altered his life.
“I had to purchase glasses because my eye doesn’t see well. I have never needed glasses before,” Scruggs testified on Tuesday.
The former college athlete, high school wrestling, and football coach disclosed that he sustained broken ribs, a collapsed lung, staples in his head, and a fractured skull.
Prosecutors claimed that Gray was trained to cause pain with his hands and used that expertise to nearly take Scruggs’ life. However, Scruggs admitted he has limited recollection beyond the moments preceding the quarrel on Wilkinson Boulevard in Belmont.
“Do you recall anything after that?” Prosecutor Rebecca Mills asked Mr. Scruggs.
“No, ma’am,” he replied.
Scruggs revealed his next memory was waking up in the hospital 20 days later.
“After waking up, I had three or four tubes attached to me,” Scruggs shared.
Gray’s attorney mentioned that the latter recollects the collision, originating from a street altercation and an elderly man shouting amidst traffic.
“[Scruggs] Was using profanity and making threats to shoot [Gray],” stated Gray’s lawyer Jeremy Smith.
Smith relayed that the two came to a halt at a gas station when Scruggs, taller and aged 70, instigated a physical confrontation.
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“Scruggs grabbed Kyle and pinned him down,” Smith explained.
The attorney asserted that the jury would gain insight from Mr. Gray’s account.
“Mr. Gray will reach out to me and provide testimony. There’s no doubt about that,” stated Smith during the opening arguments.
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