John Knospler Junior Pleads Not Guilty To Second Degree Murder

A former Marine Sergeant from Pennsylvania, accused of killing a man at a Natrona County nightclub, has entered a plea in court.

Thirty-three year old John Knospler Junior has pleaded not guilty to one charge of second degree murder, in the death of 24-year old James Baldwin.

Natrona County Sheriff’s Investigators say in early October, deputies were called to Rack’s Gentleman’s Club, where they found Baldwin in the parking lot bleeding from a gunshot wound, and was later pronounced dead at the scene.

One bouncer told investigators, that he saw Baldwin go outside and lean inside a vehicle, then saw Baldwin’s body jerk twice and then fall to the ground.

The bouncer said that Knospler was the person in the car and that he drove off a short time later.

Deputies eventually found Knospler as well as a handgun inside his vehicle, and also determined through tests, that his blood alcohol content was above the legal limit at the time.

Defense attorneys say Knospler was acting in self-defense and that Baldwin punched out the driver's side window of Knospler's car, while Knospler was inside of it.

He is free on $500,000 bond awaiting trial and could receive 20 years to life in prison if convicted.