Authorities in Florida won’t 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.
Lewandowski, 42, was charged with simple battery after Breitbart reporter Michelle Fields accused him of grabbing her as she attempted to ask Trump a question at a March 8 campaign event in Jupiter. On Thursday, Palm Beach County prosecutors said in filings that while there had been probable cause for an arrest, “the evidence cannot prove all required elements of the crime alleged and is insufficient to support a criminal prosecution.”
Lewandowski initially said he never touched Fields, but video released by police showed that he did make contact with her.
Fields said that the prosecutor’s office called her two weeks ago and that she agreed to a deal in which Lewandowski would issue her an apology. She said she hadn’t heard back about the arrangement, and a source familiar with the situation told NBC News that it wasn’t clear whether Lewandowski had accepted the proposal.
Fields and three of her colleagues resigned from Breitbart, a prominent force in conservative politics, after the site published an account questioning Fields’ allegations. “I can’t stand with an organization that won’t stand by me,” she said at the time.
Lewandowski remains Trump’s campaign manager, but it’s unclear whether he retains control over the operation after veteran Republican operative Paul Manafort was recently appointed convention manager.
This story first appeared on NBCNews.com.
Jon Schuppe
Kerry Sanders