Shooting victim calls fringe governor candidate a "strange character"

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Fresno County's former fringe candidate for governor appeared in court on attempted murder charges Wednesday. The man who was shot in last week's incident is still in serious condition at Community Regional Medical Center.

Champ didn't enter a plea Wednesday, but he did smile for the cameras. His attorney later told Action News the recent Republican candidate for governor says he's innocent of the charges.

Tye Glenn Champ gave a nod to the media as he stood in handcuffs to face felony charges, including the attempted murder of his neighbor.

The Prather resident got more than 59,000 votes in the June governor's primary with a pro-God and anti-government platform. But he's accused of attacking neighbors last week -- first targeting a teen's all-terrain vehicle, then escalating to gunfire -- injuring one man and killing a horse.

ABC30 legal analyst Tony Capozzi says if Champ started the confrontation, the case may be difficult to defend.

"If he slashed the tires of one of the vehicles of the victim, would that mean that he caused this all and he's responsible for everything that happened?" Capozzi said. "It may and it may not."

But Capozzi says neighbor cases are often messy and Champ may claim self-defense. From his room at Community Regional, the victim told Action News he's getting better slowly and he's now able to walk again. He laughed when a reporter told him Champ says he's innocent, and called him a strange character. But he wasn't ready to discuss the incident.

Champ has prior convictions for sex offenses and for manslaughter in the death of a business competitor. He's not allowed to have a gun. But Capozzi says this case could come down to how the victim reacted, even if Champ started the trouble.

"He may have caused the incident to occur, but if it got out of hand and he reasonably felt that his life was in danger, he would have a self-defense claim," he said.

Champ is due back in court Thursday morning to enter a plea. His attorney told us it'll be a "not guilty" plea.