PHILADELPHIA: Trial Concludes For Alleged Gay-Basher Kathryn Knott, Jury Deliberations Begin Tomorrow

On the final day of her trial, today accused gay-basher Kathryn Knott denied having taken part in the September 2014 attack on a Philadelphia gay couple. Via Philadelphia’s ABC affiliate:

Knott, leaving a birthday celebration with a large group of friends, said that she ran toward the fight initially to try to defuse it. Two male co-defendants have pleaded guilty and received probation – and were barred from downtown – but Knott chose to fight the charges. She faces several years in prison if convicted of aggravated assault and other crimes.

Knott, the daughter of a suburban police chief, was out with friends from her Catholic high school when they encountered the couple and started spewing profanity-laced slurs, prosecutors said. Before long, the victims were being pummeled. Knott’s lawyer has downplayed the alleged gay-bashing motive and co-defendants Philip Williams and Kevin Harrington denied any homophobic intent.

Knott, testifying for more than an hour Tuesday, was forced to explain tweets about being banned from a bar, kicking down a door during a police raid with her father, and having him track down and ticket a driver who ran her off the road.

The jury begins its deliberations in the morning.