Combs Waterkotte Partner Matthew Brown Secures Not Guilty Verdicts on All Felony Counts in Morgan County Assault Trial

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Criminal Defense Attorney Matthew Brown secures an acquittal for Jason Edward Shifflett in Morgan County, with not guilty verdicts on all three felony charges.

VERSAILLES, MO, UNITED STATES, August 28, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Case Number 23MG-CR00305-03 — Combs Waterkotte Partner Matthew Brown secured a complete acquittal for Jason Edward Shifflett following a jury trial in Morgan County, Missouri, with jurors returning not guilty verdicts on two counts of first-degree assault and one count of armed criminal action.

The charges stemmed from allegations dating to July 2023. Shifflett was arrested in Morgan County on July 12, 2023, in connection with a first-degree assault charge. The case ultimately proceeded to trial.

During the trial, Brown challenged the evidence linking Shifflett to the injuries at the center of the prosecution.

The defense highlighted conflicting witness accounts regarding what occurred and who was responsible. The injured person was unable to identify Shifflett as one of the individuals who assaulted him, while eyewitness testimony did not establish that Shifflett had struck the injured person.

Brown also emphasized the absence of forensic evidence tying Shifflett to the injuries.

Taken together, the defense argued that the evidence left significant unanswered questions about Shifflett’s involvement and failed to establish his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Because the first-degree assault charges were Class A felonies and any sentence for armed criminal action would have been served consecutively, Mr. Shifflett faced the possibility of spending the rest of his life in prison if convicted.

After hearing testimony, reviewing the evidence and considering arguments from both sides, the jury returned not guilty verdicts on all three counts.
Mr. Shifflett's co-defendant, Melanie Crow, was represented by different counsel for the same incident. She was found guilty of first-degree assault, third-degree assault, and third-degree domestic assault. She was sentenced to three consecutive terms for a total of 30 years in prison.

Missouri defense attorney Matthew Brown is a Partner at Combs Waterkotte and previously served as a Missouri prosecutor before entering criminal defense practice. His background includes experience handling felony jury trials from both the prosecution and defense sides of the courtroom.

About Combs Waterkotte
Combs Waterkotte is a top St. Louis criminal defense law firm serving clients across all of Missouri and Illinois. Led by experienced trial attorneys and former prosecutors, the firm defends clients facing misdemeanor, felony, federal, DWI, drug, sex crime, violent crime, and other criminal charges. Combs Waterkotte is committed to protecting clients’ rights, futures, and freedom through aggressive advocacy, thorough preparation, and client-centered representation. They are considered to be one of the top St. Louis DWI defense law firms in the state of Missouri.

Christopher M Combs
Combs Waterkotte
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Criminal Defense Lawyers Serving All of Missouri & Illinois - Combs Waterkotte