by Matt Marquardt –
The precedent has been set.
It is OK in Mason City to grab, pull, bump, step on, intimidate, humiliate and generally abuse those you do not like. Maybe it is your wife that is annoying you. Maybe it is a co-worker that got the big raise or promotion that you wanted. Maybe it’s an old flame that won’t answer your calls. Perhaps it’s the guy in the bar that looked at you wrong. Maybe you asked someone to go in the back room to “talk” and they refused to go. Maybe you didn’t like the way someone spoke and wanted to shut them up. Maybe your child won’t stop crying. In Mason City, you can take matters into your own hands and get away with it.
Fear not, bad guys. Police have informed me that no charges will be filed against Robin Anderson and Tim Ackerman, even after video proof was submitted that each crossed a room intentionally and made physical, unwanted contact with me, which I told police was insulting and offensive. I made a statement, submitted all video evidence; they held me to a higher standard than others in requiring I turn over the video, and I complied. I waited patiently for justice to be done, and was disappointed today.
Iowa code states that simple assault in this state is committed by “Any act which is intended to place another in fear of immediate physical contact which will be painful, injurious, insulting, or offensive, coupled with the apparent ability to execute the act.”
Mason City police have deemed the actions of Anderson and Ackerman legal and not against the law. In the eyes of the Mason City Police Department, no law was broken, and both are innocent of any wrongdoing. I was told by police that they “just don’t see the intent.” I was also told on the day of the incident that they would investigate and see if “maybe you did something to deserve it.”
I told the officer who called this morning that I was extremely disappointed, dumbfounded, really. I told him that this is a dark day for the regular folk here in Mason City. I was told to call the ombudsman office if I didn’t like the outcome.
I am sticking to my story. I am sticking to my statement. The actions of both Anderson and Ackerman were wrong and constituted assault by the letter of Iowa law.
http://youtu.be/iZTOMMyeR2c
