BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

INEZ — A Martin County man accused of brutally beating a 71-year-old man during an April cookout is behind bars after a grand jury indicted him Thursday on a first-degree assault charge.

Martin County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Millard Daniel Newsome, 45, of Debord, on Friday and lodged him in the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center.

Newsome’s arrest follows an indictment by a Martin County grand jury alleging he caused serious physical injury to Calvin Pauley of Inez “by means of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument” during the April 11 incident at Pauley’s East Main Street residence.

As part of the indictment, Martin Circuit Judge J. Kevin Holbrook set Newsome’s bond at $50,000.

Law enforcement and emergency medical personnel responded to the home around 7 p.m. April 11 and found Pauley suffering from extensive facial injuries, according to Martin County Sheriff John Kirk.

Kirk reported that Pauley had a bloodied face and head, swelling that prevented him from opening one eye, a possible broken nose and other injuries.

“He had severe damage to his left eye and all the bones surrounding it,” Kirk said. “It was clear that he was beaten.”

EMS transported Pauley to ARH in Prestonsburg before flying him by helicopter to a University of Kentucky hospital in Lexington for further treatment.

According to investigators, Pauley said Newsome attacked him without provocation. Newsome and another witness at the scene reportedly said that Newsome acted in self-defense.

Following further investigation, Sheriff Kirk presented the case to the Martin County grand jury.

Officials did not release additional information.

If convicted, Newsome faces a possible sentence of 10 to 20 years and a fine of up to $10,000.

Editor’s note: Under Kentucky law, an indictment is an accusation and not a finding of guilt.