Anchorage Prosecutor: No Charges Will Be Filed Over Journo Detained At Joe Miller Event

[meegbear]

Source: TalkingPointsMemo.com

Anchorage Municipal Prosecutor Albert Patterson says the city won't file any charges over an incident at a Joe Miller town hall on Sunday in which the Republican Senate nominee's private security guards detained and handcuffed Alaska Dispatch editor Tony Hopfinger.

Patterson says neither Hopfinger, who was detained for "trespassing" after he repeatedly attempted to question Miller, nor the three guards from DropZone Security, who could have been charged with assault, will be charged. Patterson issued the following statement yesterday:

After careful review by the Municipal Prosecutors office of witness statements, police reports, and other materials relating to this incident, it has been determined that no criminal charges will be filed against any party.

According to Richard Mauer of the Anchorage Daily News, Hopfinger said the decision "was obviously the right thing to do."

Read more: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/10/anchorage-prosecutor-no-charges-will-be-filed-over-detained-journo-at-joe-miller-event.php?ref=fpc

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Mauer also writes:

Hopfinger said he hasn't yet decided whether to pursue civil charges against the men who held him captive in the school hallway for more than a half hour, or the Miller campaign which hired them.

"I think quite honestly my rights were violated," he said. "I didn't do anything wrong -- they started all this pushing business."

[ixion]

1. smells like a lawsuit to me...

just sayin'...

[fascisthunter]

2. sure em

[Hissyspit]

3. No accountability.

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. Yep.

[no_hypocrisy]

5. Civil suit still be had.

False imprisonment
Assault
Battery

[bigdaddycoles66]

6. If it wasn't a politician detaining someone and if it were to be like

for say, a minority then it would have been kidnapping and charges would have been filed and an arrest would have been made asap! Nice legal system!

[greiner3]

7. I'm not quite sure what your post means;

Or implies. Are you saying that if the newsman were of a minority status then the rent a cop would have been arrested?

Or do you mean that if someone other than a politician were to detain someone akin to what occurred then they would have been arrested for kidnapping just because they would have been a minority?

On the second matter, would you mean if the kidnapper were a minority then an arrest would have been made, or do you mean if the kidnappee were a minority then an arrest would have been made.

Thanks for the clarification, in advance.

[herbm]

9. Seems a tad racist to me, too. And a tad is too much. I know as a GOP/vet how I'd feel if my elected

official in law enforcement running for higher office had me cuffed through his goons working illegaly and tied to militias. I'd want to settle man to man but even more I'd want him unelectable. I'd sue and I'd keep it in the press and I'd ask the question over and over: how do active duty personel paid with my taxes get to moonlight as hired muscle? Why wasn't the prosecuter "protected" by the local police instead?????

[herbm]

8. I hope there is a little lawsuit over this.

Wrongful detention, assault, kidnapping ... such a menu. I am glad it is bringing out Drop Zone's connection to Alaskan militias.

[struggle4progress]

10. I'd bet Hopfinger has a civil suit. I don't know what damages he'd get.

[herbm]

11. It could be significant, I imagine the other side do not want any worms pulled out of this can. Sett

lement, undisclosed by either party.

[pacalo]

12. I see...civilization no longer exists. It's left to anyone's discretion to handcuff

those we don't like, as long as we outnumber them. Civility goes out the window & public chaos reigns supreme.

[Doctor_J]

13. Repukes aren't bound by any laws, that I can see

but, I am pretty sure we won't do anything about it.

[ProudDad]

14. Until rent-a-gestapo assholes like this

begin to get assault charges lodged against them...and begin doing some time...

They'll keep doing it...

"Don't Taze me, Bro"

But in a police state like this one, I don't expect birds of a feather like DA's and rent-a-goons to diss one another...

[Supersedeas]

15. a little slip here....a little slip there...and pretty soon the Brownshirts are marching through the

streets loudly and proudly.