Matt Innis won’t face charges after being arrested at Nebraska GOP convention

LINCOLN — After being arrested on suspicion of third-degree assault and second-degree trespassing exterior the Nebraska GOP conference in Kearney final month, Republican Matt Innis received’t face prison costs.

Buffalo County Legal professional Shawn Eatherton mentioned Friday that his workplace didn’t have robust sufficient proof to prosecute Innis or anybody else concerned within the case. In a letter despatched to Innis on Thursday, Eatherton informed Innis that he was not required to look in court docket on Aug. 10.

“Primarily based on the knowledge this workplace obtained and a overview of the proof, please be suggested our workplace has determined NOT to file a case in opposition to you at the moment,” Eatherton mentioned within the letter. “Subsequently, you do not want to look in court docket on August 10, 2022, at 2:30 p.m.”

Innis, of Crete, couldn’t be reached for remark Friday.

He was arrested after he tried to enter the conference heart and was stopped by safety workers, resulting in a scuffle that prompted workers to name the police, the Nebraska Examiner reported. One staffer alleged that Innis lunged at him and assaulted him, although Innis claimed he was shoved or grabbed by somebody and he defended himself, not figuring out it was safety.

In a social media put up, Innis disputed the account by safety workers, writing that “when somebody got here ahead stating a video exhibits the pinnacle of safety was mendacity concerning the preliminary incident, the safety individuals have been then eliminated, the individual they claimed was such a menace was allowed into the conference, and the conference continued with none safety on web site.”

Eatherton mentioned his workplace reviewed video footage and witness testimony among the many proof of the incident.

Innis, a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump who hasn’t been afraid to criticize fellow Republicans, was one among six Republicans who had their credentials revoked so they may not function delegates on the conference. Some mentioned they’d their credentials revoked as a result of they’d vocally criticized or instantly challenged Republican management or nominees, together with Gov. Pete Ricketts and Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Pillen.

Innis, together with a minimum of one different delegate who was denied entry, Fanchon Blythe, arrived on the conference heart to problem the choice.

Their removing was the topic of one among many heated debates that day. Some delegates argued that revoking their credentials was an assault on free speech.

After Innis’ arrest, the remaining delegates voted to reinstate his credentials, together with 4 of the opposite delegates, together with Blythe. Innis later returned to the conference heart to function a delegate.

Later that day, a majority of delegates voted to fireside GOP Chairman Dan Welch and elected Eric Underwood as the brand new chairman.

Days later, Innis and Blythe each attended a media occasion at GOP headquarters the place Underwood weighed in on the occasion’s objectives and route going ahead.