Manslaughter Charges Dropped

FAYETTEVILLE — Washington County prosecutors dropped the charges against a man arrested in May after a fight outside a bar resulted in a death.

Steven Hall, 33, of 809 Gwenn St. in Springdale, faced a felony manslaughter charge after punching Robert Clark, 41, of Springdale, May 11 outside the Electric Cowboy on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

“There is just not enough evidence at this time to file charges,” said Amy Driver, deputy prosecutor. “We can re-evaluate that if we happen to obtain more. We have up to one year to do so.”

Sgt. Craig Stout, police spokesman, said in May that Hall approached Clark who was arguing with his girlfriend.

The argument escalated and Hall punched Clark on the face, police said. Witnesses told police the punch knocked Clark backward, he fell and hit his head on the ground, according to an arrest report.

Ambulance crews found Clark unresponsive, police said. He was flown to Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Mo., after doctors diagnosed him with severe brain injury, police said. He died May 12.

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