THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, October 25, 1994 TAG: 9410250278
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B8 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JON FRANK, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines
It could have been a night at a saloon in the Old West when everybody is liquored up, and somebody gets accused of cheatin' at cards. A fight breaks out and two card players get hurt. A third is arrested and charged with two felony counts of malicious wounding.
That's what happened early Sunday at the home of a former Portsmouth police officer on Dartmouth Street. Both of the injured men were taken to the emergency room at Maryview Medical Center.
``It was the booze that caused it,'' said 56-year-old Jon Davis, a retired Portsmouth cop who had invited three of his friends over for a card game Saturday night.
Arrested on Monday was James W. Harrell of 21 Harrower Court.
Harrell, who is 6 feet, 3 inches tall and weighs 240 pounds, surrendered to Portsmouth police and was released on $1,500 bond, according to the Portsmouth Sheriff's Department.
The 34-year-old Harrell is charged with striking two of his card-playing companions in the face after accusing one of cheating.
The one Harrell accused of cheating - 52-year-old William H. Kain - needed 20 stitches to close a wound above his right eye on Sunday.
The other - 48-year-old William G. Barnak - needed 14 stitches to close a facial wound. Barnak said Monday that he will need plastic surgery to reconstruct his right eye socket, damaged when a blow hit his eyeglasses.
``I think he was trying to do some damage, hitting me with my glasses on,'' said Barnak, who is 5 feet, 5 inches tall and weighs 140 pounds. ``If you can't play and lose, you shouldn't play.
``That is the first time I've played poker in years,'' Barnak added. ``And it will be the last.''
Davis had quit playing shortly after midnight and went upstairs to bed. He came downstairs about 6 a.m. Sunday when he heard arguing. He saw Kain on the floor and Barnak kneeling down to help, and then he saw Harrell allegedly strike Barnak in the eye.
Harrell left and Davis set about helping the injured and cleaning up the kitchen.
``I had blood everywhere,'' said Davis, who took Kain and Barnak to the hospital. ``I carried both of them to the hospital because they were bleeding bad.''
Davis said all three men were friends, and that Harrell and Kain were especially close.
``All of them were drinking,'' Davis said. ``And none of them were feeling any pain, until the two got hurt.''
KEYWORDS: ASSAULT
by CNB