Stabbing victim tells his story

A man stabbed Friday evening on Virginia Street says he was trying to protect a friend being threatened with a knife.

Jason Lauderman, 21, of 210 Cedar St., Marietta, remains in Grant Medical Center in fair condition, according to a hospital spokesman.

"I try to be a law-abiding citizen, try to help somebody out, and I get stabbed," Lauderman said in a phone call to The Marietta Times Monday morning.

According to city police, Lauderman was stabbed in the arm Friday evening by Clinton G. Hannah, 25, of Williamstown.

Police said Hannah may have been defending himself and his pregnant wife after Jeffrey A. Braun, 22, of 1081 Walsh Road, Vincent, assaulted him. After Braun struck him, Hannah drew a knife, police said. After Lauderman came at him, Hannah stabbed him.

Lauderman said he only went toward Hannah to keep him from using the knife on Braun. He said Hannah attempted to stab him, so he struck the man in the head. After that, Lauderman said, he was stabbed in the arm, cutting a major artery.

Police said the altercation began after Hannah and his wife left a nearby restaurant around 9:20 p.m. Friday and discovered their car was blocked in its parking spot along the street.

Lauderman said he was with friends in a nearby backyard when Hannah approached them, complaining about the situation with the car. The argument continued after the car was moved and Braun reached into the vehicle and slapped Hannah's mouth, Lauderman said.

No one has been arrested. Marietta police said they plan to turn over the results of their investigation to the prosecutor's office for possible charges.

Calling from Grant Monday, Lauderman said he is frustrated that the police have not gotten his side of the story.

"I'm trying to call down there and get information and talk to those police officers. I give them the number (at the hospital) and they never call," he said.

Marietta police Capt. Jeff Waite said he had not been made aware of any phone calls from Lauderman.

"That's the first I've heard of it," Waite said. "He was taken to the emergency room (at Marietta Memorial Hospital) Friday, then transported to Grant Medical Center.

"Our investigation is continuing and we will be talking to Mr. Lauderman, but his health condition was a priority to us at that time," he explained. "But if he calls we would be happy to let someone talk to him."

Waite added that no charges have been filed in the incident, and information gathered during the investigation would be turned over to the Washington County prosecutor for consideration of possible charges.