In a press conference Thursday, Palm Beach County Florida State Attorney David Aronberg announced that though evidence supports former Breitbart reporter Michelle Fields’ allegation that Donald Trump’s campaign manager Corey Lewandowski grabbed her and pulled backward, he “will not be filing charges against Corey Lewandowski for battery.” He also noted that Trump spoke directly with prosecutors and that the state’s attorney attempted to get Lewandowski to write an apology, adding that a short apology letter was circulated. Fields had previously stated repeatedly that she would accept such an apology.
“We agree that probable cause exists for the Jupiter Police Department to charge Mr. Lewandwoski in this case,” said Aronberg. “Our standard is higher than probable cause,” he added. “Although the facts support the allegation that Mr. Lewandowski did grab Ms. Fields’ arm against her will, Mr. Lewandowski has a reasonable hypothesis of innocence.”
Aronberg said the surveillance footage released by the JPD indeed shows Lewandowski grabbing Fields and pulling her away, as she alleged. He also underscored that Lewandowski completely denied having even “touched” her in the incident, a claim that was clearly false, and noted that Trump’s security guard standing right by him did not seem to believe Fields was a threat. It is also worth noting that the first time that either Trump or Lewandowski suggested that Fields had provoked Lewandowski’s grab was weeks after the event.
Despite those facts, the state attorney said the “reasonable hypothesis of innocence” outweighs probable cause, particularly in a security situation with a high-profile figure like Trump.
Fields told The Blaze Wednesday night that she planned to pursue civil action for defamation of character against Lewandowski and Trump, who both smeared her publicly. That was before the apology letter was officially announced. Fields tweeted Wednesday after reports that Lewandowski would not be prosecuted that the “office of prosecutor asked 2 weeks ago if I’d be ok with an apology from Corey. I said ya but haven’t heard back about it.”
“The apology, in a case like this, obviously would be encouraged,” Aronberg said. “We always appreciate when people take responsibility for their actions.”
Read more about the case here.