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Kanawha judge acquitted in nurse battery

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A jury found Kanawha Family Court Judge Mark Snyder not guilty on charges that he battered a health care worker.

Magistrate Jack Pauley received the verdict at about 2:30 p.m. Thursday.

“I feel really good. I’ve been vindicated on this and I just hope it’s a learning experience for all and that nobody goes through this again,” Snyder said. “What a relief it is.”

The jury deliberated for about 30 minutes. Friends and family members of Snyder celebrated and shared hugs and tears as the two-day trial wrapped up.

Snyder was accused of battery against Charleston Area Medical Center nurse Stephanie King in November. Snyder allegedly grabbed King by the arm and shouted at her while trying to get help for his friend, Tony Serreno, who he said was in pain and without medication.

Serreno was slated to have an amputation the next day and was still recovering from a separate surgery earlier in the week.

Snyder took the stand and answered questions from his attorney, Jim Cagle, about the evening of Nov. 4, 2013. Boone County Prosecutor Keith Randolph said that Snyder was angry, yelled at King and grabbed her by the arm. He said he kept yelling at her and reached for her again after she pulled away.

Snyder said Thursday he has “no recollection” of ever touching King, and that if he did, it was an accident.

“I don’t have any independent recollection of touching her at all, ever,” Snyder said.

Snyder said Serreno was moved from the rehabilitation area on the second floor to room 502 on the fifth floor between 5:40 and 5:45 p.m, but that Serreno did not get any assistance from nurses for more than an hour after he arrived in the room. Snyder suspected the nurses were waiting to push Serreno off until the next shift.

Snyder said Serreno was getting “increasingly upset” and in pain. A few minutes after 7 p.m., Snyder said he walked down the hall to the nurses’ station to attempt to get someone to make Serreno’s bed.

“I said ‘Excuse me, who’s responsible for 502…

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