Jack Raymond Yancey gazed out the window from the fifth floor of the Clark County Courthouse Monday afternoon. He commented on the steady breeze blowing a nearby flag and the snow on Mount Hood in the distance.
“It’s beautiful out,” he said.
An hour earlier, a jury had acquitted the Vancouver man of murder after 13 hours of deliberations over three days.
Tears had filled Yancey’s eyes as he realized he would be released from jail. He had been in custody since Sept. 25.
All parties agreed that Yancey, 58, stabbed and killed Gary L. Adams, 50, on Sept. 24 in downtown Vancouver’s Hough neighborhood. But the jury apparently agreed with the defense’s argument that the stabbing was done in self-defense.
Yancey was acquitted of first-degree murder with a deadly weapon. The jurors additionally found him not guilty on a lesser proposed charge of second-degree murder. As he left the courthouse, he called out to his attorney, Michael Foister Sr., “God bless, God bless. I love you, man.”
Foister said in an interview that he’s happy with the outcome of the case.
“It was a very unfortunate set of circumstances that emerged. There’s no doubt in my mind that (Yancey) was in life-threatening circumstances and was entitled to defend himself, which is what he did in this case,” he said.
During the trial, the defense argued Adams attacked Yancey over the sale of used tires. Foister said Adams was lying in wait for Yancey outside the residence at 900 W. 16th St. and ambushed him. Yancey reported that Adams had thrown a makeshift knife at him, but missed. He then reportedly punched Yancey in the head.
Foister said the violent behavior was fueled by a toxic level of methamphetamine in Adams’ system. Toxicology reports found he had 1.3 milligrams per liter of methamphetamine in his blood, he said.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed in Superior Court, both men had been visiting the residence, which was often open to homeless people. Adams reportedly walked outside to leave that evening, and about five minutes later, witnesses said they heard a commotion outside and saw the men in a confrontation.
A witness said she saw Yancey swing his hand at Adams’ stomach area and Adams fell back, grasped his stomach and yelled, “You stabbed me,” the affidavit says. Yancey allegedly replied, “That’s what you get.” The knife, which was about 8 inches long, was thrust in an upward direction, striking Adams’ heart and killing him, court records said.
Yancey had the standard kitchen knife hidden in the waistband of his pants.
Witnesses called 911 about 10 p.m., but Yancey had reportedly left in a white Dodge Omni by the time police arrived. He was arrested the next day across town at Acres Mobile Estates, 13401 N.E. 28th St., according to court documents.
Foister said in an interview that he doesn’t believe the eyewitness’s testimony was credible.
“How does a man loaded on meth, throwing knives and rushing someone go to being peaceful and trying to calm someone down? It doesn’t make sense,” he said.
Deputy Prosecutor Michael Vaughn had argued that Yancey instigated the fight and attacked Adams. He said Yancey was not acting in self-defense, but was seeking revenge.
During Thursday’s closing arguments, Vaughn told the jury Yancey fled the scene, leaving his girlfriend behind, and changed his story about where he went because he knew he had done something wrong. Additionally, photos of Yancey following the incident don’t indicate he was beaten, he said.
He also argued that nobody goes walking around with an 8-inch knife stuck in the waistline of his pants unless that person is looking to harm someone.
In an email after the verdict, Vaughn said, “We knew this would be a difficult case, but our office takes any case involving a loss of life very seriously. We wanted the citizens of Clark County to hear the evidence and decide the case, and we respect the verdict of the jury.”
