Aug. 9—A man was acquitted of elder abuse Wednesday in which a defense attorney proved the alleged victim made false claims, according to the Kern County Public Defender's Office.
The charge, a misdemeanor, stemmed from an 80-year-old victim alleging physical and verbal abuse by Richard Phillips, a 56-year-old military veteran. Phillips always said he was innocent, a news release said, and a jury came back with a verdict after five hours.
Deputy Public Defender Sam Carter presented evidence at trial that the accuser sought to remove Phillips from their residence and fabricated a domestic violence complaint after failing to make Phillips leave.
Phillips maintained he never touched the 80-year-old person. The alleged victim had no physical injuries and declined medical aid, the news release said.
Phillips could have been sentenced up to one year in jail if he had been convicted, and did spend seven days in custody, the public defender's office added.
"My client's future was on the line," Carter said in a statement. "Despite the presumption of innocence, a charge alone can be damning.
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