Richard W. Gniewkowski, 53, of Butler, was sentenced to state prison on Wednesday after being found guilty in a December jury trial of pointing a semi-automatic rifle at police during an incident in April 2017.

Citing a lack of evidence and prosecutorial misconduct, a Butler County man sentenced to prison for pointing a semi-automatic rifle at police during a 2017 incident at his home is seeking to have his conviction vacated.

Al Lindsay, attorney for Richard W. Gniewkowski, argued Monday in Butler County Court that prosecutors failed at trial to prove his client did not act in self-defense.

Additionally, he claimed county Assistant District Attorney Ben Simon went out of legal bounds when he branded the defendant's testimony as lies in his closing argument.

But Simon countered that the jury's mixed verdict in part proved Gniewkowski was given a fair trial.

Judge William Shaffer said he would rule on the defense motion later.

Shaffer on May 23 sentenced Gniewkowski to 21 to 42 months in state prison after jurors convicted him of felony aggravated assault, misdemeanor simple assault and two counts of recklessly endangering another person, following a one-day jury trial in December.

The jury also acquitted him on additional counts of aggravated assault and simple assault.

State police arrested Gniewkowski after a brief standoff with troopers April 9, 2017, at his then-home on Stargrille Road in Winfield Township where police were responding to an alarm.

Read the full story in the Butler Eagle.