Bringing it up now

The trial of Julio Castillo has been going on in Dayton for awhile. The latest AP report is here.

Testifying in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court, Castillo said he had been having pitching control problems earlier in the game, became frightened as the brawl began, and did not throw at an opposing player or with the intention of hitting anyone.

"I saw that the players with the Dragons were coming," the Spanish-speaking Castillo said, testifying through a translator. "I was nervous and frightened. I threw the ball in front of the dugout to see if they would go back. I didn't throw it to hit anyone."

Under cross-examination by assistant Montgomery County prosecutor Tracey Ballard Tangeman, Castillo acknowledged that he threw the ball hard and that it went into the stands.

Here is testimony from the fan from earlier this week.

Chris McCarthy, 45, of Middletown, testified for the prosecution in the trial of Julio Castillo, who is charged with felonious assault. Castillo, a 22-year-old pitcher from the Dominican Republic, has pleaded not guilty.

Castillo was pitching for the Peoria Chiefs against the Dayton Dragons when a bench-clearing brawl broke out last July.

McCarthy says the swelling in his head got so bad that he couldn't wear a hard hat for the part of his job in which he goes into a paper mill.

McCarthy said Castillo, who appeared angry, hurled the ball toward the Dragons' dugout and that the ball came into the stands, striking him in the temple area.

"It came and struck me in the head here, knocking my hat off and leaving a mark where the seams hit me," said McCarthy, who was sittinng with his wife, his 7-year-old son and 7-year-old nephew at the time. "I didn't remember all the details after that. I did not lose consciousness, but I was not thinking clearly."