COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — An activist who was pushed down a flight of stairs during an anti-Donald Trump rally at Ohio State University this week says he hopes the charge against his assailant is dropped.
The Columbus Dispatch reports (http://bit.ly/2eEoHSW ) Tim Adams said Tuesday that it wasn’t necessary for police to charge 24-year-old Ohio State student Shane Stanton.
Stanton yelled “You idiot” and pushed Adams on Monday as Adams spoke out against Trump’s win.
After video of the encounter was shared widely, reports surfaced that Stanton has Asperger’s syndrome. Stanton’s father confirmed Tuesday that his son has the condition, a form of autism that often consists of difficulty with social interaction and impulse control.
The Worthington man was charged with misdemeanor assault. Ohio State police haven’t said whether the charge will be dropped.
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Information from: The Columbus Dispatch, http://www.dispatch.com
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Summary
I wonder how soon it will be before a trump spokesman uses that defense?
I hope the guy gets the help he needs to no longer be a danger to himself and others.
Dropping the charges is a step in the right direction of normalizing aberrant behavior. Soon poor impulse control will become a standard legal defense for hate crimes.