Charges against a Cincinnati journalist have been dropped in Northern Kentucky.
CityBeat reporter Madeline Fening was arrested during a July demonstration on the Roebling Suspension Bridge. Covington Police originally charged her with felony rioting. The Kenton Commonwealth Attorney dropped that in favor of misdemeanor charges.
The ACLU of Kentucky says those charges have now been dropped, too.
"I was just doing my job," Fening says. "I am relieved this is over, and grateful to everyone who stood with me. I look forward to publishing my full account of what transpired that day on the Roebling Bridge."
Bethany Baxter, staff attorney for the ACLU of Kentucky, says she's happy Fening was exonerated.
"The press should not be punished simply for being present where the news is happening."
The demonstration started on the Cincinnati side of the bridge, July 17. The protest was against ICE detaining Egyptian immigrant and local faith leader, Imam Ayman Soliman. He has since been released.
A vigil turned into a march, and Covington Police confronted participants about halfway across the bridge. Officers commanded them to leave the roadway and get on the sidewalk.
CityBeat photojournalist Lucas Griffith was also arrested during the demonstration. Most of the charges against him were also dropped, though he was found guilty of misdemeanor failure to disperse in October. Griffith was fined $50, and ordered to pay court costs.
One Covington police officer was suspended without pay for repeatedly punching one of the demonstrators.
Officer Zachary Stayton was seen on video, including some captured by WVXU, repeatedly punching marcher Brandon Hill in the head as Hill was face down on the ground. Hill was one of 15 people arrested at the march.
Chief Justin Wietholter told city commissioners an investigation found the department's overall response was "consistent with established procedure."
Wietholter says Stayton will serve a 30-day suspension and be required to undergo remedial training before returning to duty. He says other officers will receive additional training on de-escalation, and responding to public demonstrations.
Read more:
- 4 face felony charges for Roebling protest, while others are dismissed
- Jury finds Roebling protest journalist guilty of 1 misdemeanor, not guilty of 3 others
- Detained Cincinnati imam has been released from prison
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