A Pierre man who represented himself in court has been cleared by a Hughes County jury of a charge that he hit a man over the head with a baseball bat.

Ken Rushing, who is serving a prison sentence in Wyoming, had been accused of aggravated assault. Authorities claimed he hit Chris Granados on December 31, 2006.

Had the 36-year-old Rushing been convicted, it would have been his third aggravated assault, and he could have faced a maximum sentence of life in prison as a repeat offender.

In his closing argument, Rushing told jurors there was no motive and that the prosecution produced no weapon.

Hughes County State's Attorney Kelly Marnette says she was "very, very surprised" at the Monday verdict.