Charges on alleged Kellyanne Conway charge dropped

Maryland prosecutors have dropped criminal charges against a woman accused of approaching White House advisor Kellyanne Conway about her political views at a Mexican restaurant near Washington.

In a brief court appearance Monday morning, counsel for Montgomery County Attorney General Kathy Knight said the office was not going to be the subject of a second degree assault charge. another disorderly behavior filed five months ago by the Montgomery County Police.

At that time, the police claimed that Mary Elizabeth Inabinett, 63, of Chevy Chase, was at Uncle Julio's in Bethesda when she approached Conway from behind, grabbed his shoulders briefly and shouted to him " shame, "among other statements. The altercation led to Inabinett's withdrawal from the restaurant, according to court documents, following a series of incidents in the Washington area, where employees of President Trump were harassed and heckled in public.

[Kellyanne Conway says ‘unhinged’ woman assaulted her at restaurant]

A trial was to begin Monday. Conway and Inabinett were not in court before Judge Robert A. Greenberg of the Montgomery County Circuit.

In dismissing the charges, prosecutors essentially said that even if they could prove their case, Inabinett would not deserve the kind of punishment that could result from a conviction.

She had no criminal record, had not hurt Conway and had agreed to apologize in a letter to Conway, according to Montgomery State lawyer John McCarthy, a long-time county attorney.

"Was this woman rude? Yes, says McCarthy. "Did she violate Ms. Conway's space and try to embarrass her? Yes and yes. Is this a case where criminal sanctions would have been appropriate? No."

Knight testified in court that "Ms. Inabinett chose this time and place – and rightly so – to get in touch with Ms. Conway and express her political opposition to Ms. Conway. "However," given the lack of priors, the minimus character of the contact and the letter apologize, "the state dismissed the charges," Knight told the judge.

The charges of second-degree assault and disorderly behavior, two offenses, cover a wide range of behaviors, the number of assaults ranging from spitting to punches, and the charge of driving to arouse a public ruckus affecting the behavior of others.

"The abandonment of this case was a very reasonable exercise of the prosecutor's discretion," said David Felsen, a seasoned defense attorney for the county.

The events in question began the night of October 14, while Inabinett was dining at Uncle Julio's, which is part of a series of upscale shops and restaurants in Bethesda. Conway was there too, with his daughter for a birthday, according to the court records.

Later, Conway described what happened to the police:

"Conway said that she was talking with other people who were part of the group when she felt that someone was grabbing both shoulders from behind and shaking her," said the Cpl. Joseph McNally wrote in court documents. "Conway said she thought at first that it was a person who was trying to get his attention before leaving the party. When she returned, she found herself face to face with the screaming suspect and aggressive gestures. "

[From Kellyanne Conway to Stephen Miller, Trump’s advisers face taunts from hecklers around D.C.]

In an interview with CNN, Conway said he was assaulted.

"Someone grabbed me from behind, grabbed my arms and shook me," she said, describing the woman identified as Inabinett as being unbalanced and uncontrollable. She should pay for it. She should pay for it. Because she's not allowed to touch anyone. She put her hands on me. I told him, "Raise your hands from me." She put my hand down and shook me. "

Neither Conway nor Andrew C. White, a lawyer who represented him in this case, could be contacted immediately for a comment on Monday.

William McDaniel, an Inabinett lawyer, declined to comment and stated that his client had no comments. He had previously stated, after the charges, that Inabinett "had seen Kellyanne Conway, a public figure, in a public place and had exercised her right of first amendment to express her personal opinions. She did not assault Ms. Conway.

In Maryland, second degree assault may be as minor as an assault or impulse if the action is not granted, said Louis Leibowitz, Maryland defense lawyer, who taught the practice of the trial at the American University of Washington. But some acts, even if they are not welcome, do not constitute a crime, said Leibowitz.

According to the indictment, Leibowitz – who has no role in the case – said that Conway had told the police that she was thinking of leaving that someone was trying to capture his attention before leaving the party. "There was probably a defense argument that it was not without consent but was part of social interaction," Leibowitz said.

Read more:

Foreman of the Watergate Grand Jury 1 is also waiting to see what the Mueller Report says

Football cloakroom, broom and sexual assault surrounding high school

Army Sergeant Charged with Assault After Driving Rage Claiming Band Demonstrates Being Victim

Local newsletters: Local headlines (8h) | Buzz of the afternoon (16h)

Like PostLocal on Facebook | Follow @postlocal on Twitter | Latest local news