Authorities in Florida said Thursday they would not proceed with their case against Donald Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, saying there wasn’t enough evidence to convict him of attacking a reporter at a rally last month, according to court documents.
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As Trump’s statement on the matter ends, though, the matter does indeed appear to now be concluded. He was charged after Breitbart News reporter Michelle Fields said he grabbed her while she tried to ask Trump a question.
Aronberg told reporters that Lewandowki’s lawyers had drafted an apology to Fields, who wrote Wednesday that she had not received one.
I think it was mishandled initially by the person saying that she was battered. Lewandowski has said he’s innocent.
The now-66-year-old Van Houten was “numb” after the panel announced its decision after a five-hour hearing at the California Institution for Women in Chino, said her attorney, Rich Pfeiffer.
Ms Fields tweeted that the office of the prosecutor asked her if she would accept an apology from Mr Lewandowski, to which she said yes, but that she has not heard back about it.
The decision not to prosecute Lewandowski came as no surprise to West Palm Beach criminal defense attorney Richard Tendler, who has been following the developments.
The incident happened March 8 after Trump, the billionaire businessman and former Atlantic City casino magnate, held a news conference in Jupiter.
The chief assistant state attorney for Palm Beach County, Adrienne Ellis, said Fields had violated press protocol by entering a protective bubble established by US Secret Service officers guarding the candidate.
Lewandowski said Thursday night he was relieved the charges were dropped and he wanted to move on from the incident, which he called a “huge distraction” for the campaign.
Aronberg said he had talked with Fields and she was disappointed he decided against pursuing the charge.
A Florida prosecutor’s office plans to hold a news conference amid reports that presidential candidate Donald Trump’s campaign manager won’t be prosecuted over a videotaped altercation with a female reporter.
After Lewandowski was charged, Trump said he was actually grabbed by Fields, said he wouldn’t fire his aide, and questioned whether Fields’ bruises were really from the episode and why she didn’t scream. “Jeb Bush has a better claim for battery against Trump after those debates than this reporter does against Lewandowski”.
“In his mind, it’s reasonable to believe he thought he had just witnessed a touching of Mr. Trump in some way, by Fields, who was where she was not supposed to be”, said Ellis.
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Fields and three of her colleagues resigned from Breitbart, a prominent force in conservative politics, after the site published an account questioning Fields’ allegations. Trump is now campaigning to win a delegate majority before the Republican National Convention in July and secure the nomination outright.
