Not Guilty Plea In N.Y. Concert Beating

A man accused of an assault that left another man in a coma following a July 5 Kid Rock concert in New York has pleaded not guilty.

Craig Lawson of Ontario, Canada, entered the plea to a felony assault charge in Genesee County Court Sept. 5.

Lawson was previously released on $10,000 bail. Police reported that Lawson punched Jason McNeil during the concert at

McNeil was in a coma for two weeks after Lawson’s allegedly unprovoked attack and is still recovering from his injuries.

Meanwhile, Lawson’s attorney, State Sen. Michael Ranzenhofer, told WHAM-TV that his client didn’t cause McNeil’s coma.

“This is a one-punch situation and the guy fell down and hit himself on the pavement,” Razenhofer was quoted as saying. “I don’t think anything was intended here and I think that’s pretty clear.”