Country artist Chris Cagle will stand trial in City Court on a misdemeanor assault charge after his tour ends this fall.
City Court Judge Margarita Bernal set a Sept. 23 trial Monday for Cagle, who is accused of striking Tucsonan Mark Barry on Dec. 13 after a benefit concert at the Cactus Moon, 5470 E. Broadway.
Bernal will decide Cagle’s fate after the one-day trial.
Police said Cagle punched Barry in the face after Barry’s girlfriend became “verbally abusive” toward Cagle.
Police spokesman Sgt. Mark Robinson previously said the woman was angry because Cagle declined to sign an autograph for her after signing several others for her.
Cagle, who lives in Nashville, Tenn., was cited and released.
Neither Cagle nor Barry attended Monday’s hearing.
Cagle’s attorney, Bradley J. Armstrong of Tucson, cited self-defense and the defense of others as Cagle’s defenses in a pretrial statement.
Barry has sued Cagle and his sound man, Kenneth Hoyt of Bradenton, Fla., in Pima County Superior Court.
Hoyt, who broke a wrist in the incident, is listed as a defense witness at Cagle’s trial.
Cagle is touring to support his new album, “My Life’s Been a Country Song,” which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard when it was released in February.