From: BuzzFeed
Donald Trump’s campaign manager has been charged with simple battery after allegedly manhandling Breitbart reporter former Michelle Fields at an event in Jupiter, Florida.
Corey Lewandowski — who according to the police report lives in Trump Tower in New York City — turned himself in to police just after 8 a.m, the Palm Beach Post reported. Jupiter Police said he was released with a notice to appear in court.
“Mr. Lewandowski is absolutely innocent of this charge,” his lawyers Scott Richardson and Kendall Coffey said in a statement. “He will enter a plea of not guilty and looks forward to his day in court.” He’s scheduled to appear on May 4.
Jupiter police released this video of the incident:
Donald Trump’s campaign manager has been charged with simple battery. He allegedly manhandled Breitbart reporter Michelle Fields at an event in Jupiter, Florida earlier this month.More on the incident: http://bzfd.it/1pHKERMPosted by BuzzFeed News on Tuesday, March 29, 2016
Still, Donald Trump tweeted Tuesday that there was “nothing there.”
Wow, Corey Lewandowski, my campaign manager and a very decent man, was just charged with assaulting a reporter. Look at tapes-nothing there!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 29, 2016
Victory press conference was over.Why is she allowed to grab me and shout questions? Can I press charges? pic.twitter.com/qbW2RjkINX
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 29, 2016
Fields responded shortly after, saying Trump was “lying”:
Because my story never changed. Seriously, just stop lying. https://t.co/1fz9cBHOuT— Michelle Fields (@MichelleFields) March 29, 2016
Katrina Pierson, a Trump spokesperson told CNN Lewandowski will be staying on as campaign manager while the legal process plays out.
“We have total confidence in our campaign manager and we feel he is going to be exonerated,” she said.
Fields said Lewandowski grabbed her arm and nearly threw her to the ground when she was covering an event at Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter, Florida, on March 8. The incident caused multiple bruises on her arm, she said.
“Someone had grabbed me tightly by the arm and yanked me down,” she wrote. “I almost fell to the ground, but was able to maintain my balance. Nonetheless, I was shaken.”
The Washington Post’s Ben Terris, who was also covering the event, supported Fields’s story.
The Trump campaign spokesperson Hope Hicks insisted the accusations were “entirely false.” She then blasted Fields for taking the issue to Twitter instead of directly to the campaign and insinuated she was a liar.
On March 11, about three days after the incident, Lewandowski tweeted directly at Fields disputing her allegations.
@MichelleFields you are totally delusional. I never touched you. As a matter of fact, I have never even met you.— Corey Lewandowski (@CLewandowski_) March 11, 2016
Fields filed a police report with the Jupiter Police Department the same day. The next day, March 12, police officers obtained vide footage from Trump Security at Trump National, according to the arrest report.
According to the police report, the video parallels what Fields told officers.
“After extending his arm out, Lewandowski appeared to reach for Fields’s left arm with his left hand, allowing him to get closer to Fields,” the police report reads. “Lewandowski then grabbed Fields left arm with his right hand, causing her to turn and step back. This motion cleared a path for Lewandowski to walk past Fields, allowing him to “catch up” and get closer to Trump, who was walking during the entire incident.”
Michelle Fields and Breitbart News editor-at-large Ben Shapiro have since resigned from the company over the site’s handling of the incident.
Here’s a timeline of BuzzFeed News’ coverage of the incident and fallout:
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