09-04-2025
4-year vandalism case ends in acquittal after 20-minute deliberation
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The vandalism case filed against Gary Hatler dragged on more than four years. It ended minutes after the jury received it.
Hatler was found not guilty Tuesday after jurors deliberated for about 20 minutes, according to a release from the Kern County Public Defender's Office.
'The jury's quick verdict reflects what we've known all along — the evidence didn't support the charges,' said Deputy Public Defender Elvia Zepeda. 'A four-year wait for a 20-minute verdict speaks volumes.'
The case has its origin in July 2020, when Hatler's ex-girlfriend reported he showed up to retrieve personal belongings then hit her Dodge Ram with a flashlight and kicked it, causing hundreds of dollars in damage.
The case was filed as a felony on Sept. 15, 2020, and a warrant was issued the same day, according to the release.
But this was during the pandemic, when most cases were given lengthy postponements.
It wasn't until May 1, 2024, that Hatler was arraigned.
The Public Defender's Office got the vandalism charge reduced to a misdemeanor. A second charge of violating a restraining order was dismissed over insufficient evidence that the order had been properly served, according to the release.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
