GREENSBURG, Pa. — UPDATE 6/8 2:05 p.m. - The jury has found Gregory Baucum not guilty on all charges of assault and retaliation.
Channel 11's Melanie Marsalko was in the courtroom and will have details on Channel 11 News starting at 5 p.m.
The trial for the father of accused cop killer Rahmael Holt got underway Thursday.
Gregory Baucum is accused of assaulting his girlfriend in retaliation for her talking to law enforcement about Holt’s alleged involvement with the murder of Officer Brian Shaw.
Investigators believe it was retaliation for her relaying information about a family meeting with police, where a confession was relayed that Holt shot Shaw.
She said Baucum told her about the meeting.
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The victim told police and the jury Thursday that Baucum twisted her neck and plugged her nose and mouth, the same weekend police were questioning family and actively searching for Holt.
The victim broke down in tears on the stand, saying she loved Baucum and wrestled with the decision to report the assault to police.
But after she couldn’t breathe from him covering her mouth, she said: “That’s how I knew he was serious, and my daughter’s laying right next to me.”
The defense questioned her credibility on the stand and said her statements differed slightly from her testimony at the preliminary hearing.
Four police officers were also called to testify about their interview with the victim.
Despite Baucum never actually telling the victim that he was smothering her in retaliation for talking to police, detectives say the assaults were more than coincidental, given the timing.
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