WOODLAND — A Yolo Superior Court judge set a Sept. 23 trial date for the defendant accused of a hate-crime assault against a gay Davis man.
Clayton Daniel Garzon, 20, pleaded not guilty Friday to felony assault, battery and criminal threats charges stemming from the March 10 beating of 32-year-old Lawrence “Mikey” Partida outside his cousin’s home on I Street.
Judge David Rosenberg ruled there was sufficient evidence for Garzon to stand trial on the charges following a preliminary hearing last month. The counts carry enhancements alleging that Garzon targeted Partida because of his sexual orientation, though his attorney, Linda Parisi, contends her client used gay slurs to challenge Partida’s masculinity.
Partida was hospitalized for nearly two weeks following the assault with injuries including a fractured skull and bleeding to his brain.
The trial is expected to last nine days, though Rosenberg warned Friday it could be delayed because another trial — that of a West Sacramento police officer charged with sexually assaulting six women while on duty — is scheduled to start in his department the same day.
Garzon remains free on $520,000 bail.
— Reach Lauren Keene at lkeene@davisenterprise.net or 530-747-8048. Follow her on Twitter @laurenkeene