Opinion
Last week we reported that country music star Chris Young had been arrested at a bar in Nashville, Tennessee, and charged with assault on an officer, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. Now, however, Young has emerged victorious as all charges against him have been dropped.
The charges against the young people were dropped
Entertainment Tonight reported that the Nashville District Attorney’s Office announced Friday that all charges against Young will be dropped “after a review of all the evidence in this case.”
This evidence included video footage showing Young placing his hand on the shoulder of a Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission officer, who then pushed him onto a table, causing the singer to fall backwards.
“Mr. Young and I are gratified by the district attorney’s decision to clear him of the charges and of any wrongdoing,” Young’s attorney, Bill Ramsey, said in a statement.
After Young’s arrest, Ramsey called on officers to “apologize for the physical, emotional and professional harm done to my client,” according to ABC News.
WSMV reported that Young, 38, was arrested last Monday evening after an altercation with Alcoholic Beverage Commission officers who were completing a compliance check around 8.30pm at the Tin Roof on Demonbreun Street, where Young was sitting at the bar . After officers checked his identification, Young followed them and began asking questions while he recorded them.
Officers said Young eventually held out his hand to stop them from leaving and “hit” one of them in the shoulder. This led to officers pushing Young even harder, causing him to fall into a chair and to the ground. It took two officers to physically detain Young and take him into custody.
Related: Footage of country star Chris Young’s arrest ‘could undermine’ police version of events, expert warns
Legal experts intervene
Legal experts, however, were quick to say that the surveillance footage could “undermine” the officers’ version of events.
“The fact that the officer apparently said…in his affidavit that he was shot as…is not what appears to have happened,” Devin McRae, partner at Early Sullivan Wright Gizer & McRae, told Fox News LLP. “So, that could undermine his entire affidavit, not just on that detail, but on everything else.”
“This is essentially the best evidence of what happened, rather than someone trying to testify to what happened based on their own recollection,” he added. “So, the jury will be able to see what really happened.
Bryan M. Sullivan, a partner at the same firm, agreed with McRae.
“Videos, if authenticated and admitted into evidence, can be very powerful to a jury as they provide the jury with a basis for determining the credibility of the memory of witnesses and participants,” he explained. “Typically, and it’s human nature, people tell their version of events that makes them appear in the best possible light.”
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McRae chimed in, admitting that the surveillance footage could still cause some “problems.”
“There may be some problems with completeness because we don’t know what happened before or after,” he warned. “Surveillance only shows this part.”
Young became a household name after winning the “Nashville Star” singing competition in 2006, and his first single, “Drinkin’ Me Lonely,” became a No. 1 hit. He has released eight studio albums and his next titled “Young Love & Saturday Nights” releases March 22.
Do you think Young was cleared after his charges were dropped? Let us know in the comments section.
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