Hammer Attack Trial Day 5: Gaston County man accused of trying to kill wife with hammer takes the stand in his defense

GASTON COUNTY, N.C. (FOX 46 CHARLOTTE) – The Gaston County man accused of attempting to kill his wife with a hammer took the stand on Friday in his defense.

Charles Eubanks dominated Day 5 of his trial by spending most of the day testifying. For hours before the lunch recess Eubanks detailed the early days of what an outsider may deem a blissful union. They met at a party, fell in love, moved states, stayed in love, and when he was a rap artist he saved enough earnings to buy his now ex-wife, Melanie Eubanks, the two-carat diamond ring she insisted on having.

This – was according to Eubanks.

Before the lunch recess, Judge Phillips instructed Eubanks’ lawyer to essentially move the snail’s pace testimony along. So after the break, Eubanks resumed the stand and within minutes fast forwarded to the incident at hand.

Eubanks claimed the hammer came into play when he was repairing something and instead of returning the hammer to its rightful drawer, he put it on the living room table. At some point after, a suspicious Eubanks tried to get Melanie to show him her phone, with the hammer in hand at his side and was speaking in a conversational low volume – his voice was not raised.

Then, according to Eubanks, Melanie grabbed the hammer and swung it. That prompted Eubanks to grab her wrist so they were both struggling for the hammer. He says he stepped back and although she was injured, he didn’t know how she got injured.

Eubanks explained his actions after the assault, going to see his family and friends, to be attributed to sleep deprivation and loneliness.

On cross-examination Eubanks acknowledged sending the prosecutor letters and poetry –  ‘Jailbird’ and ‘In the name of love’ were the titles.

Both sides have rested and closing arguments are set for Monday.