A Texas jury found Corpus Christi state district judge Guy Williams not guilty on one felony count but could not resolve a second charge, forcing a mistrial against the jurist who was accused of pointing his gun at two motorists during an alleged road rage incident.

Williams, who presides over the 148th District Court in Nueces County, was indicted on two aggravated assault charges last year after he was accused of attempting to run another vehicle off the road and pointing a gun at its occupants. The State Commission on Judicial Conduct later suspended Williams from the bench without pay because of the charges.

After a weeklong trial, A Nueces County jury indicated to Judge Sid Harle, a San Antonio judge hearing the case by assignment, that they had found Williams not guilty on one charge. But the jury was unable to resolve the second charge against Williams, forcing Harle to declare a mistrial on that count.

During the trial, Jane Starnes, a prosecutor for the Texas Attorney General's Office, argued that the case boiled down to the word of the victims against that of Williams according to a report in the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. Starnes had argued that Williams pointed his gun at the victims after he cut them off in traffic.

“What have they got to gain from going through this,” Starnes asked the jury. “Do you think this was enjoyable for them, to put themselves through this, to talk to the police several times about the worst night of their lives? Do you think it was fun when they got up there and got cross examined? What's in it for them? They've got no motive to come in here and lie to y'all.”

But Williams' attorney Lisa Greenberg said she argued that the judge acted in self-defense and only “brandished” his gun at both the driver and his wife during the dispute but did not point it at them.

“We say he showed his weapon and the guy got back in his car. And then they followed him,'' said Lisa Greenberg, who represents Williams. “He's a Purple Heart veteran and Vietnam Vet. And he doesn't play.''

Greenberg explained that the jury found Williams not guilty of aggravated assault against the driver of the car, but could not decide on whether he had committed the same offense against the passenger.

“He can't be retried on the first charged, but we don't know if he can be retried on the second,'' Greenberg said.

Starnes declined to answer whether she planned to retry Williams, referring comment to the Texas Attorney General's press office. Kayleigh Lovvorn, a spokeswoman for the AG's Office, declined to comment about the case.

Greenberg said she hopes Williams won't face another trial.

“I think it would be stupid and a waste of judicial resources because the jury has already said it was an act of self-defense,'' Greenberg said.