Mistrial declared in police officer assault case

WARREN — The trial of Julian C. Gibson, 21, of Salt Springs Road in Youngstown on a charge of assault of a police officer was suddenly halted this morning when a witness made a remark about a civil suit connected to the incident.

Judge Peter Kontos of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court declared a mistrial, saying he could not "put the genie back in the bottle" by just asking the jurors to disregard the statement.

The charge stemmed from Gibson's early-morning Aug. 26, 2017, arrest behind an apartment building on Hadley Avenue in Liberty Township.

Patrolman Robert Altier was with Sgt. Daniel Kovach when Gibson came out of the apartment building with a friend, and Altier advised Gibson he was under arrest because of marijuana Altier had found in Gibson's car in the apartment parking lot.

Altier observed Gibson's hand in his coat pocket and felt the circumstances warranted grabbing Gibson's hand and physically taking custody of him. In the struggle that ensued, the officer suffered some bruising.

The case will be retried June 15.