Receiver for NFL's Titans found not guilty of assault

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[September 16, 2015]  (Reuters) - A judge on Tuesday found a receiver for National Football League's Tennessee Titans not guilty of assault and battery charges from a fight at a Virginia bar in July.

Justin Hunter, 24, was arrested following a brawl on July 3 at the Sandbar Surf Bar in Virginia Beach where the victim, Anthony Blythe, suffered a broken jaw, police said.

Hunter, a Virginia Beach native, is in his third NFL season after being selected by the Titans in the second round of the 2013 draft out of the University of Tennessee.

General District Judge Gene Woolard found Hunter not guilty after a four-hour trial in which defense attorneys argued that Hunter was defending himself.

Hunter played in 14 games as a rookie, catching 18 passes for 354 yards and four touchdowns. Last year, he played 12 games before suffering a season-ending spleen injury against Houston and finished with 28 receptions for 498 yards and three scores.

Hunter caught one pass for 11 yards on Sunday in the Titans' season-opening 42-14 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Titans had no comment on the verdict.

(Reporting by Steve Ginsburg in Washington; Editing by Bill Trott)

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