November 6, 2019

Jury convicts Brandon Frison of ‘out of the blue’ assaults in North Portland

Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced that a jury convicted 23-year-old Brandon Frison of randomly assaulting three people in the Kenton neighborhood last fall.

“This vicious attack came out of the blue,” said Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney Todd Jackson, who litigated this case. “It was completely unprovoked. Two of the victims were out on the street just like anyone else and ended up getting punched in the face and suffered facial fractures, which took months to recover from. Doctors had to wire one of the victim’s jaw shut and drill screws into his teeth. He wasn’t able to eat solid food for six weeks and lost 40 pounds because of this attack.”

This investigation started on September 8, 2018 when Portland Police responded to reports of an assault with multiple victims near the intersection of North Lombard Street and North Denver Avenue.

The first victim told police that he was walking down North Denver Street with the second victim when they passed a man. Shortly thereafter, the victim heard someone run up behind him.

Before he could turn around, the victim was punched. He was immediately knocked to the ground, briefly lost consciousness and suffered three separate facial fractures, according to his testimony during trial.

The second victim testified that he was walking with the first victim and also heard a man, later identified as Frison, approach from behind and then “sucker-punched” the first victim with a closed fist.

Frison then punched the second victim in the face, which knocked him to the ground. He did not lose consciousness.

Police contacted an eye witness who testified that an unknown man approached his vehicle shortly after he had parked and asked the eye witness to roll down a window.

The man, later identified as Frison, started flirting with the witness’ girlfriend. When Frison tried to reach into the vehicle, the eye witness told him to stop and leave. The eye witness watched as Frison passed the first two victims on foot, stopped, turned around, ran to them and then punched them in the face, according to court testimony.

Police contacted the third victim at the hospital after learning that a family member had driven him to the hospital after he was randomly attacked by Frison while walking his dog. During trial, the third victim testified that his jaw was broken as a result of the assault. Doctors had to install plates in his jaw, which are expected to remain permanently.

Police located Frison in a nearby parking lot and arrested him based on the identification of the witnesses, according to trial testimony. While being arrested, Frison confessed that he assaulted the three men because he believed they all separately looked at him like he was “an attractive female.” Frison later denied assaulting anyone when testifying at trial.

Sentencing in this matter is scheduled for Friday November 8, 2019 at 11 a.m. before Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Heidi H. Moawad.

No additional information can be released by the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office at this time pursuant to the Oregon Professional Rules of Conduct.

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Contact: Brent Weisberg, Communications Director

Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office

Phone: 503.988.6567 | Email: Brent.Weisberg@mcda.us