Coffee County District Attorney Craig Northcott reached an agreement to drop charges against outspoken activist Justin Jones who was accused of assault and disorderly conduct after he allegedly threw a liquid at the former Speaker of the House Glen Casada and Rep. Debra Moody.
The agreement stipulates Jones must stay away from Casada and Moody, and he also can’t enter the Cordell Hull legislative office. If Jones can follow these conditions until April 22, 2020, his charges will be dropped. Right now, the case against Jones is on a retirement document.
“The victims are in agreement with this resolution,” Northcott said in an email to the Associated Press (AP). “They are hopeful that he will learn from this situation and take advantage of this opportunity. Other than the dismissal order, there will be no further action on these cases so long as he abides by the above conditions.”
Casada sent a text message to the AP saying “he was comfortable with the overall outcome.”
“The DA asked me if I wanted to prosecute. I said no, but there does need to be some discipline for (Jones’) out of controlled anger (issues),” he said.
Also, Jones spoke to the AP where he said in a statement that Casada avoided testifying under oath while he and his legal team “appeared in court seven times to tell the truth.”
“Rather than constant delays, we are grateful for closure and hope Mr. Casada has learned standards of ethics, honesty, and non-racist behavior that are befitting of public office,” the activist said. “We will continue to seek accountability for Tennesseans.”
Tennessee’s former Speaker of the House reacted to the situation on Twitter back in February after Jones was taken away in handcuffs.
“Let me make something clear. This type of behavior from “peaceful protesters” won’t be tolerated. I will not stand for radicals physically & verbally assaulting my members,” he said. This behavior has no place or voice here. These folks have been arrested and charged with assault. #TNleg”
Let me make something clear. This type of behavior from “peaceful protestors” won’t be tolerated. I will not stand for radicals physically & verbally assaulting my members. This behavior has no place or voice here. These folks have been arrested and charged with assault. #TNleg pic.twitter.com/ijQR8IzEiY
— Rep. Glen Casada (@GlenCasada) February 28, 2019
At the time of the event, Jones was already out on bail after he reportedly disrupted a Marsha Blackburn rally in October 2018.
This week Jones filed paperwork to challenge Jim Cooper in the Democratic primary for Tennessee’s Fifth Congressional Seat.
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Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of Battleground State News. If you have any tips, email Zachery at [email protected].
Photo “Glen Casada” by Glen Casada. Background Photo “Justin Jones” by Justin Jones.
What a farce. Charges should have been pressed.Nice people need to wake up and realize transgressors will not mend their ways. I’m sorry, but you are delusional if you believe otherwise. The extremists on the Left are minions of the Dark Side. Jones will cross the line again, and let’s hope he is punished accordingly.