Charges dropped in La Salle machete case

A man charged last week with wielding a machete knife — another man sustained a facial laceration following the melee — has been released from custody with no charges. Prosecutors determined it was self-defense.

Dante K. Griffin, 26, of La Salle, was taken into custody on a preliminary charge of aggravated battery at 2:23 a.m. Wednesday in the 100 block of Marquette Street, according to a La Salle police report.

Griffin, however, told authorities he acted in self-defense and a review of surveillance footage retrieved later backed up his account of what happened.

La Salle County State’s Attorney Joe Navarro said Monday that Griffin was released from La Salle County Jail and charges would not be filed against him.

“There was security footage that showed the purported victim with a knife in his hand,” Navarro said. “We didn’t know that until after reviewing the security footage which was not immediately available.”

Navarro said charges may be pending against other individuals involved in the case.

Griffin could not be immediately reached for comment. There was no answer at his door Monday morning and there was no immediate reply to a voice message left at the phone number provided by La Salle police.