Jurors delivered a mixed verdict Thursday in federal court in Detroit, acquitting a Farmington Hills man of two felonies in a case alleging he assaulted a Black female postal carrier after getting upset about receiving mail involving Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris last fall.

Russell Valleau, 62, was acquitted of using a deadly or dangerous weapon and interfering with a federally protected activity, charges that could have sent him to prison for up to 20 years, following a three-day trial in front of U.S. District Judge Nancy Edmunds. But jurors convicted him of a lesser-included offense of assaulting, opposing, impeding, intimidating or interfering with a federal employee, a misdemeanor that could send Valleau, who has been in custody since last fall, to up to one year in prison.

As part of a verdict reached after about two hours of deliberations, jurors concluded Valleau targeted the postal carrier because she is Black.

Prosecutors alleged he confronted a Black female postal carrier on Sept. 26 and brandished a four-inch silver knife while yelling “I’m tired of getting this black, nasty b---- mail. I don’t want this black b---- mail. Stop delivering it. Do your f------ job!”

“I think that there was no evidence that there was a knife — none,” Valleau’s lawyer, James Amberg said. “And it was clear that my client had some issues. It was in my opinion that there was alcohol and mental health issues going on.

“He is very thankful for the jury,” Amberg added. “It’s a major victory for this guy.”

Valleau has other legal problems.

Last fall, Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald charged the man with one count each of felony ethnic intimidation and misdemeanor assault and battery. Ethnic intimidation is punishable by up to two years in prison and a fine up to $5,000 while assault and battery is punishable by up to 93 days in jail and a fine up to $500.

The case is pending in Oakland County Circuit Court.

Acquittals in federal court are rare. Out of 4,586 defendants charged in federal court on the east side of Michigan, only 15 were acquitted during jury trials from 2018-23, and four of those came in the same trial, according to court statistics.

The incident involving Valleau happened while the carrier was delivering mail on her route in Farmington Hills. She noticed Valleau riding in circles on a bicycle before he approached her truck.

That is when Valleau made the comments, prompting the carrier to admonish him, according to the government.

“F— you, black b—-!,” Valleau said, prosecutors alleged.

“As (the postal carrier) began to roll her window up, Valleau raised a knife and pulled it back as if he were going to throw it at her or reach through the window and stab her,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frances Carlson and Darrin Crawford wrote in a trial brief. “(She) ducked her head down, grabbed her USPS-issued pepper spray, and sprayed Valleau in the face.”

Farmington Hills Police officers arrived and found Valleau nearby and searched the area but did not find a knife.

Amberg reiterated that there was no knife but said the upturned handles of Valleau’s bike are silver and resemble knives.

To illustrate his point, he showed jurors Valleau’s bike during the trial.