The way Margaret Bowers viewed Jaered N. Andrews' trial, her brother was on trial more than Andrews.

"I didn't think it was fair," said Ms. Bowers, the sister of Thomas E. Blakeley. "My brother didn't get to defend himself."

A jury Thursday acquitted Andrews of a simple assault charge in the so-called "American Idol" case.

Outside Mercer County Common Pleas Court Judge Thomas R. Dobson's courtroom, Andrews, 24, of Austintown, Ohio, hugged family members and friends who had attended the trial. He had no comment for the media.

Blakeley family members quickly huddled together and left the court.

Andrews, a former contestant on the "American Idol" television show, was charged with throwing a single punch at Blakeley, 39, of 44 S. Third St., Sharpsville.

Although Blakeley died when he fell from the punch and hit his head on the pavement outside the Blue Ribbon Bar, Farrell, the punch was considered "nonlethal" because a single punch is not expected to be deadly, Dobson told the jury.

The jury had the case for about 2è hours when it asked Dobson to redefine simple assault and self-defense, and was back in the courtroom less than 30 minutes later with the verdict of not guilty.

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