Rosi O’Connell of North Pomfret takes the witness stand on Wednesday. (Eric Francis Photo)

White River Junction — A jury deliberated for less than 30 minutes on Wednesday before finding a North Pomfret man not guilty of attacking the Hartford Village postmaster in April 2012.

Brian Bowles, 41, was acquitted of the simple assault charge by a 12-person jury at the end of a one-day trial at Windsor Superior Court. He would have faced up to one year in prison if convicted.Hartford Village Post Office Postmaster Rosi O’Connell accused Bowles, a contracted mail carrier, of hitting her in the head with a hand-held mail scanner in a room at the back of the post office last year following months of increasing tensions between the two. A post office customer discovered her slumped over on the floor, and a police officer said she was dazed and had a bump forming on her head. She was admitted to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and released that day.

Although O’Connell and friends of hers had protested the initial police investigation into the incident and the decision to only file a misdemeanor charge even though O’Connell said she checked into the hospital two days later because she was still in pain, Hartford police said at the time their investigation did not turn up any evidence of serious workplace violence that day

Bowles maintained that the attack never happened, and said he didn’t even fully enter the back room of the post office that day. He said he stood in the doorway and used one hand to grab a stack of mail before a verbal confrontation with O’Connell ensued and then left. He said he called his supervisor a few hours later and quit his job, citing his frustrations with O’Connell.

Man Accused of Assaulting Postmaster Found Not Guilty| Valley News

In court filings, Bowles, a highway contract driver  had argued that the charge should be dismissed for a lack of evidence, and insisted that the federal government, not the state, should have jurisdiction in the case. But Windsor County State’s Attorney Robert Sand said the state has jurisdiction because the federal government does not own the Hartford Post Office building — it leases it from an outside party. Judge Robert Gerety rejected Bowles arguments.

Bowles  filed a lawsuit earlier this year  against the Postal Service for non-payment of over $41,000. The case is still pending.

The Postmaster suffered a second attack seven months later on the night of Oct. 11 2012. O’Connell said upon  returning to her  home from a party, a man  waiting on the front porch punched her on the head numerous times, rendering her unconscious for several hours. Although O’Connell said she knows who the identity of the assailant no one has been arrested for the October incident.