Kansas City teen acquitted in knife-fight killing

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A Kansas City, Mo., man has been acquitted in the stabbing death last year of one Kansas City teen and assault of two others.

James R. Tharnish, 18, was acquitted Friday of second-degree murder and five other felony charges in the June 2002 death of 17-year-old Matthew Vice and assault of Eric Sutherland and James Nik-Khah, both 17.

Tharnish testified Wednesday that he was acting in self-defense when he stabbed the three youths in his front yard.

Tharnish and several of his friends testified that Tharnish pulled out a knife only after he and his father had been punched.

Tharnish's twin brother Troy and their father, Daniel E. Tharnish, have July trial dates on charges stemming from the same altercation.