Chief Municipal Prosecutor employee, not his private Albert Patterson has filed no life. charges against Alaska “I mean, I asked him some Dispatch editor Tony hard questions; we need to Hopfinger, who was arrested get some answers,” Hopfinger by security guards until said. “He's being sued by two police arrived Sunday at a newspapers and an online town hall event held by U.S. newspaper now over his Senate candidate Joe Miller. employment at the North Star "After careful review by the Borough. He hasn’t denied the Municipal Prosecutor's office accusations, so I started out of witness statements, police -- that's where this all came reports, and other materials from.” relating to this incident, it The owner of the firm hired has been determined that no to protect Miller, William criminal charges will be Fulton with Dropzone Security, filed against any party," said in a statement Sunday Patterson said in a statement. that he was responding to Hopfinger was handcuffed by Hopfinger’s actions. security guards at the “The Dispatch reporter Central Middle School event repeatedly pushed a camera Sunday afternoon. Hopfinger into the face of Mr. Miller,” says he approached Miller to Fulton said. “He continued to ask questions, but was aggressively pursue him. I detained by private security told the reporter several officers for half an hour times that he needed to stop until police arrived. and that he was trespassing, According to Hopfinger, he ignored me. He then Miller’s security team pushed proceeded to stalk Mr. Miller him and he pushed back and even shoved an individual because he felt his personal into a locker. Based upon space was being invaded. He this trespass and his assault, says guards detained him and we detained him and escorted accused him of trespassing, him from the premises.” although the town hall was a In a subsequent interview, public event held at a public Fulton said he didn't know at building. the scene that Hopfinger was “At some point I was suddenly a journalist. surrounded by more guys, more “I didn't even know he was a security guards I guess,” reporter until he told me,” Hopfinger said. “They were Fulton said. “Normally we kind of putting their chest would assume that he's just into me, and at one point I some crazy guy from the put my chest in too -- it got audience.” to be too much.” Fulton says he was trying to Hopfinger says the incident do his job when he arrested escalated so fast he barely Hopfinger. remembers what happened, and “After I told him he was that next thing he knew he trespassing, he said he was a was in handcuffs. reporter,” Fulton said. “I The Alaska Dispatch is one of said, ‘Sir, that doesn't several news organizations matter: you've been asked to suing for access to Miller's leave, this is a private employment records at the event.’ At that time, I told Fairbanks North Star Borough. him again he was trespassing, Miller worked at the FNSB as then he hit the guy -- he a part-time attorney from pushed the guy, well, pushed 2002 to 2009. the guy, into the locker. And The Anchorage Daily News at that point we decided he filed papers in Fairbanks had become violent and would Superior Court Friday to effect the arrest.” join a lawsuit filed by the In a statement on the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner incident Sunday evening, last week. The Alaska Miller said Hopfinger Dispatch has filed a separate appeared irrational, angry suit asking for Miller's and potentially violent. employment records. “While I've gotten used to The news organizations are the blog Alaska Dispatch's interested in documents that assault on me and my family, contain the details of I never thought that it would Miller’s departure or lead to a physical assault,” allegations of misuse of Miller said. “It's too bad borough property. that this blogger would take Miller called the request a advantage of a ‘Town Hall’ violation of his privacy. But meeting to create a publicity the Alaska Dispatch’s stunt just two weeks before attorney says that the the election.” requests relate to Miller's Contact Jackie Bartz at performance as a government jbartz@ktuu.com
Tags: Against, charges, filed, handcuffed, journalist, Miller, security
