Man charged with manslaughter for throwing fatal punch outside Tacoma sports bar

A single punch outside a sports bar in Tacoma led to Patrick Redmond’s death.

Now, Pierce County prosecutors have charged Jabril Jones, the man who is accused of throwing that punch, with first-degree manslaughter in the Aug. 9 fight.

Jones, 29, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to the charge and was ordered jailed in lieu of $500,000 bail.

The men didn’t know each other but both spent time at a sports bar in the 3800 block of South Center Street.

Redmond, 58, told police he was standing outside the bar when he saw Jones taking his photo with a cell phone, according to charging papers.

Redmond told him to stop but Jones didn’t. Redmond knocked the cell phone out of Jones’ hand and turned to walk inside.

“Redmond said the next thing he remembers was getting hit in the head and falling to the floor,” according to the charging papers.

An ambulance took him to Tacoma General Hospital, where police interviewed him.

Medical personnel found a 2-inch-long laceration on the back of Redmond’s head — likely from when he fell on the ground. They also determined he suffered brain injuries.

Within 12 hours, Redmond couldn’t move his left arm or leg and showed signs of decreased consciousness. He died Aug. 23.

Medical examiners ruled his death a homicide after determining that being punched in the jaw and falling to the ground likely caused Redmond’s brain injury.

“Additionally, the decedent’s history of drug and possibly alcohol abuse had resulted in chronic liver damage that markedly reduced the ability of Redmond’s blood to clot after any injury,” records state.

“Had this significant pre-existing condition not been present at the time of injury, then the fall may not have been fatal.”

This story was originally published March 17, 2015 at 10:13 AM with the headline "Man charged with manslaughter for throwing fatal punch outside Tacoma sports bar."