Tucson Tea Party Leader Releases Statement – Lashes Out at Pima County Sheriff’s Department

I spoke with Trent Humphries today. Trent is the leader of the Tucson Tea Party organization. On Saturday Trent was threatened with death by far left activist and unimpeachable voice of the left Eric Fuller at a taped ABC town hall meeting in Tucson. Fuller was heard screaming “whores” at the audience as he was dragged from the event and arrested. ABC and Christine Amanpour decided this was not newsworthy enough to show to their Sunday audience, after all, it was just a tea party conservative who was threatened with death.

Fortunately, the arrest was aired by other more credible news organizations.

This morning Trent Humphries released this statement.

The events of the ABC townhall broadcast Saturday, January 15th have been widely reported and are mostly accurate. An individual, James Eric Fuller, a victim in the recent and terrible shooting that occurred this past week, interrupted my comments with boos and catcalls before finally shouting, “You’re dead!” while taking a picture of me. Believing I had misheard him, I finished my remarks and sat down as the program ended. I was immediately rushed out of the venue by Pima County Sheriff’s Deputies without observing Mr. Fuller being detained or removed.

In the parking lot, the deputies asked if I was willing to press charges. Because I had noticed that Fuller was sitting in the front row, I assumed that he was closely involved in last week’s tragedy and was reluctant to immediately seek legal recourse. The Deputies relayed to me that even if I chose not to immediately press charges, action would likely be taken anyway due to the high profile nature of the event and the recent events involving the shooter, Jared Loughner. My cooperation would assure that Mr. Fuller could be taken into custody and referred to mental health professionals immediately. This appeared to be the prudent course of action, so I agreed to let the Sheriff’s department take Mr. Fuller into custody.

When speaking to detectives later in the day, they again asked about my willingness to press charges. I asked about the status of Mr. Fuller. They confirmed that he had been involuntarily committed and would be under observation for at least 72 hours. I followed up on this because I was concerned that Mr. Fuller would be released before I could file an order of protection (due to the Holiday.)

I am at a conundrum regarding whether or not to file charges. Based on the lessons that we have just learned about past law enforcement contacts with Jared Loughner and how he was never “flagged” because no legal complaints were ever filed, I do believe that care should be taken before dismissing all charges against Mr. Fuller. Additionally, a large portion of the discussion that took place at the town hall involved mental health and making sure that as a community and law enforcement we have adequate care for those with such issues.

It has just come to my attention that a spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Department made the following statement on Saturday evening after the town hall, “If Humphries decides not to press charges, the charges will be dropped”. At no point was this information ever related to me before the statement was given to the press. I was actually led to believe the opposite. It was my understanding that because of the very public nature of the offense that charges would be filed regardless of my participation. Indeed, it is up to Pima County Prosecutor Barbara Lawall, and not the Sheriff’s Department, to decide that charges will be “dropped”. Like so much other misinformation reported this past week, the statement from the Sheriff’s office would appear to be an error of the press or another grave misunderstanding on the Sheriff”s part.

I have nothing but sadness for the injuries and trauma that Mr Fuller has experienced due to the horrific event that killed several of our community members and left dozens injured. I have been informed through legal counsel that Mr. Fuller cannot be compelled to receive treatment without an ongoing legal complaint or conviction. If he truly is in need of mental health help, I want that to be based on the opinion of experts and our law enforcement professionals and not on whether I am willing to press charges.

It would be very unfortunate if it is true that the decision of how best to proceed with Mr. Fuller is solely mine. I am not adequately prepared to determine whether or not Mr Fuller is a danger to himself or the community. I do not have access to the mental health reports, prior records, interviews, or likely any evidence gathered on Mr. Fuller to this point. Nor am I qualified to determine if he is indeed a danger to the community or himself. Ultimately this is not a decision I feel comfortable making based on my limited experience with this gentleman or the facts I have.

My desire is that Mr. Fuller receive whatever help he needs in order to return as a reasoned member of society that poses no danger to me or my family or anyone else. If my dropping the criminal charges can accomplish that, I am willing and eager to do so. If, however, pressing charges guarantees that he will have the care and observation required to overcome his desire to do me or anyone else harm because of political beliefs, I will proceed with them, such as I can. It is my hope that the Sheriff’s Department will work with me to do what is best for Mr. Fuller and act in a manner that will help keep my family and the rest of Pima County’s citizens safe.

#1 January 17, 2011 at 11:24 am
Scott M commented:

“On Saturday Trent was threatened to death by far left activist and unimpeachable voice of the left Eric Fuller at a taped ABC town hall meeting in Tucson.”

Doesn’t that invoke a vision of the perp threatening Trent until he actually dropped dead? Just sayin’…
#2 January 17, 2011 at 11:25 am
Militant Conservative commented:

Start with DNA testing of sheriff Dipstick.powder is dry
#3 January 17, 2011 at 11:26 am
IronDioPriest commented:

Press the charges sir. That way if you are wrong, you still err on the side of the safety and well being of you and your family.

Get this unhinged Leftist into the mental health system.
#4 January 17, 2011 at 11:27 am
GrayRider commented:

Well said, Mr. Humphries, well said. Another example of lucid reasoning on the right. And another boneheaded statement from the Pima County Sheriff’s department.
#5 January 17, 2011 at 11:29 am
Rock commented:

Dropping charges, exactly the response the Socialist driven Left counts on, and the one weak spot in the Tea Parties effectiveness. As long as these Leftist goons are allowed to apply their violent agenda unchallenged by legal recourse the more people will be hurt.
#6 January 17, 2011 at 11:33 am
bg commented:

++

OT..

It’s MLK Day. What Radical Revolutionary
American Socialists Want You to Know

==
#7 January 17, 2011 at 11:34 am
forest commented:

So the Sheriff’s Department is abdicating responsibility again. Pathetic. Don’t they take an oath to protect the public?
#8 January 17, 2011 at 11:37 am
AuntieMadder commented:

Humphries is damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t. Should Humphries not press charges and Fuller does something crazy and deadly in the future, lefturds and their state run media will pull their fingers from their noses long enough to point them at Humphries. If, on the other hand, Humphries presses charges, those snot-covered fingers will immediately be pointed in Humphries’ direction for not having empathy and mercy on the poor, traumatized Fuller.
#9 January 17, 2011 at 11:38 am
Granny commented:

Mr. Humphries, the tragedy of last week in Tucson occurred precisely because everyone who had the chance to press charges against Jared Loughner dropped the charges because they “weren’t qualified to judge” or didn’t want to cause trouble for him or didn’t want to make waves or didn’t want to take the time or whatever. Had just one person stood up to the plate, the Tucson tragedy may very well not have happened.

It is not your responsibility to determine Eric Fuller’s mental state. That is the responsibility of the legal & medical systems of the state of Arizona.

Your ONLY responsibility is to stand up and say that you will indeed press charges, because that is the only way society has to insure that an obviously disturbed individual gets appropriate treatment &/or confinement. Failing to do that makes you personally responsible if down the road Eric Fuller goes off the rails and causes bodily harm to someone – perhaps you.
#10 January 17, 2011 at 11:49 am
Scott M commented:

Press the charges. It’s as simple as that.
#11 January 17, 2011 at 11:54 am
jim m commented:

Press the charges. We have a far left Sheriff who is unwilling to prosecute Fuller because he is acting on the Sheriff’s own instigation. The Sheriff was more than willing for his office to run interference for Loughner because his mom worked for the county.

Force the Sheriff to do his job for once. Press the charges and you just might get a two for one deal. Lock the nutbag up and get the Sheriff voted out.
#12 January 17, 2011 at 12:00 pm
Joe Astroturf commented:

Do what most conservatives do. Give the loon a break and then watch as they crucify the next conservative that makes a mistake. Maybe you can even pull a compassionate conservative thing like George did with Scooter Libby and crucify one of your own.
#14 January 17, 2011 at 12:09 pm
right4us commented:

I agree w/ sentiment – Press Charges!! This is just like a leftist/Democrap police run organization – doesn’t want to press charges on an unhinged leftist.

But, you can rest assured that if he were a tea party person doing that to a Dem – they would not hessitate pressing charges. And, would go for the full extent of the law charges to make an example. This is just more proof (as if we needed it) of the malicious, biased and corrupt nature that is inherent in the left.

Mr. Humphries – unfortunately, you must do what they are spinelessly willing to do – go after their own who break the law.
#15 January 17, 2011 at 12:10 pm
right4us commented:

Opps = “Mr. Humphries – unfortunately, you must do what they are spinelessly willing to do – go after their own who break the law.”

Mr. Humphries – unfortunately, you must do what they are spinelessly UNWILLING to do – go after their own who break the law.
#16 January 17, 2011 at 12:12 pm
Wm T Sherman commented:

Press charges. Have to. Circumstances have backed Mr. Humphries into a corner. If it were not for the events of the last ten days, things would be different. Unfortunately, now there is no way out, and the charges have to be filed. If Fuller walks now without getting the full treatment, what he does next will reflect on Mr. Humphries, like it or not. If charges are pressed, then Humphries will have done all that he can do.

Keep in mind also that Fuller was quite an oddball before all this happened.

Under ordinary circumstances, I think most people would shrug off Fuller’s outburst as loose talk and be reluctant to put him into the system for such a small thing. I know I would. But circumstances are not ordinary anymore.
#17 January 17, 2011 at 12:14 pm
AuntieMadder commented:

I don’t think Humphries is asking for our advice. Based on his letter, it appears that he’s wanting the Pima County Sheriff’s office to do its job and protect the citizens by pressing charges against Fuller instead of pushing that responsibility onto Humphries.

So, instead of offering unsolicited advice to Humphries, maybe we should be flooding the Pima County Sheriff’s office with calls and e-mails, demanding that they press charges against Fuller.

Does anyone here have contact information for the Pima County Sheriff’s office? If so, please post it. Thanks.
#18 January 17, 2011 at 12:16 pm
Bruce Cunningham commented:

By all means press charges. Bout time they realized ‘we won’.
#19 January 17, 2011 at 12:16 pm
Granny commented:

AuntieMadder, in many states the police do not have the option of pressing charges for something like this. This is why a number of states have passed laws that allow the police to press charges in domestic violence cases even if the victim does not want them to.
#20 January 17, 2011 at 12:17 pm
Dave-O commented:

One man, with courage, makes a majority.
#21 January 17, 2011 at 12:21 pm
right4us commented:

#8 – Auntie nailed it. These shameless, malicious, degenerates of the Democrap party are dispicable!!!
#22 January 17, 2011 at 12:21 pm
tommy mc donnell commented:

to the left everything is political even the sheriff’s dept. sounds like the dept. of justice.
#23 January 17, 2011 at 12:23 pm
AuntieMadder commented:

Granny, because they initially said they’d do so, I suspect law enforcement in AZ can press charges in this case. In fact, now that I think about it, the feds could probably pursue this one as well, due to all of the recent Homeland Security anti-terrorism laws.
#24 January 17, 2011 at 12:25 pm
AuntieMadder commented:

Granny, additionally, because Humphries wrote that they later told him that they won’t press charges, not that they can’t press charges, I’m thinking that law enforcement in AZ can press charges in this case.
#25 January 17, 2011 at 12:25 pm
TheresaAK commented:

During the Town Hall meetings, when everyday Americans voiced their opposition to the Leftist’s Spending Frenzy, the State Run Media portrayed these American citizens as crazy, racist, dangerous, Nazi-like individuals, yet it was the SEIU purple shirts and Union Thugs who were physically violent against the American citizens voicing their opposition. The State Run Media has never stopped portraying American citizens as all things evil.

This individual who threatened the life of Mr. Humphries should be taken very seriously and all manner of protection for the citizens of AZ and the perp himself should be executed {metaphorically speaking of course}.

Help prevent a potential massacre Mr. Humpries. Press charges. Think of the citizens of AZ as your own family and do what is right, not what is PC.
#26 January 17, 2011 at 12:26 pm
Wm T Sherman commented:

Auntie, at this point I would not put my trust in the word of a Pima County Sherrif’s deputy concerning this matter. Would you?
#27 January 17, 2011 at 12:26 pm
forest commented:

Of course charges should be pressed.

The problem here is that the Sheriff’s department is intentionally putting Humphries in an impossible position for political reasons.

If he presses charges, he’ll be smeared as a heartless, vindictive Tea Parttier whi is sticking it a victim of the shootings

If he doesn’t press charges, he’ll get blamed for letting the guy walk.

It’s disgusting what that scumbag “sheriff” is doing.
#28 January 17, 2011 at 12:28 pm
Granny commented:

AuntieMadder, read that statement again. The first thing the deputies asked him after they had rushed him to the parking lot was if he would press charges. Had they intended to press charges themselves there would have been no need for the question.

I suspect that Mr. Humphries is very upset (deservedly so) and the slightly different emphasis/wording he has received from various people has been confusing – not uncommon when talking to bureaucrats.
#29 January 17, 2011 at 12:29 pm
jonnot commented:

Auntie Madder…

Here’s a link to Dupnik in Arizona.

http://hillbuzz.org/?s=dupnik
#30 January 17, 2011 at 12:39 pm
avery commented:

Get his Military record,find out why he was put out of services.
#31 January 17, 2011 at 12:43 pm
Highlander commented:

Well, I can now understand better the reasons why Jared Loughner did not get the help he so obviously needed. We now see Mr. Humphries agonizing over potentially life and death decisions regarding Mr. Fuller, completely on his own. Apparently, in such cases, the relevent laws (or at least law enforcement) put the onus entirely on a private citizen to make such decisions without recourse to the necessary expertise. Is it any wonder most people just walk away from that responsibility?

Can it be that, in such cases, the individual must decide on his own whether it is more of a danger to himself, his family, and society at large, that a man go free or that he instead faces institutionalization? My question now is this: does the Pima County Sheriff’s Office have the power to impose any and all sanctions minus Mr. Humphries pressing charges? It appears that someone within the Sheriff’s office thought so initially.
#32 January 17, 2011 at 12:46 pm
Jim commented:

Press charges!
#33 January 17, 2011 at 12:53 pm
bitterclinger commented:

Do all Pima County govt structures have signs that say “Pima County (jail, library, courthouse, etc.) for Advancement of Progressive Ideals (or lack thereof)?
#34 January 17, 2011 at 1:03 pm
Joanne commented:

Charge him. This man does not only want you dead, but he chose to kill you in particular and he would most likely kill others in the process.

People should start realizing that these people are not insane, they are evil.
#35 January 17, 2011 at 1:15 pm
Dave-O commented:

Jim – would you ask Trent what we, as supporters, might be able to do to help support Trent and his family through this process?
#36 January 17, 2011 at 1:26 pm
CT commented:

Trent Humphries do us all a favor and grow a pair. If our Founding Fathers took quill to parchment and wrote long winding my feelings are hurt missives instead of taking action where would we be today?
#37 January 17, 2011 at 1:31 pm
memomachine commented:

Hmmmm.

A rabid lefty tells you to your face that he wants you **dead** and you’ve got to dick around on whether or not to file charges??

And this is after dick head lefty, who evidently never had charges filed against him, just finished shooting people in Tucson?

Here’s a clue for those of you in Tucson: if someone threatens to kill you FILE THE DAMN CHARGES YOU IMBECILES!

Jesus H. Christ some people give me a damn migraine.
#38 January 17, 2011 at 1:34 pm
Kip commented:

He threatened your life, Mr. Humpries. Press charges.
#39 January 17, 2011 at 1:38 pm
jimg commented:

The time for giving the Left the benefit of the doubt is over. Has been for quite some time.

Press charges. Yesterday.
#40 January 17, 2011 at 1:43 pm
Smarty commented:

What a wussified country we live in.
Some libtard threatens to kill you and your only concern is that he gets treatment.

What kind of mewling pre-emptive surrender is that? That would be like advocating suicide so that this guy doesn’t have to endure the trauma of doing it himself.
#41 January 17, 2011 at 1:46 pm
archer52 commented:

Man up and press charges. Wishy-washy will get people killed. The S.O. is correct, it is a victim specific charge because it is an assault. You don’t press, he goes free.

Quit worrying about feelings and use the law. That is why it is there. People complain about the police not doing anything and most of the time it is the people who refuse to “get involved.”
#42 January 17, 2011 at 1:47 pm
Just_Saying commented:

“Indeed, it is up to Pima County Prosecutor Barbara Lawall, and not the Sheriff’s Department, to decide that charges will be “dropped”.”
__________________

Pima County (Barbara Lawall) website, with “Contact” link:
http://www.pcao.pima.gov/contact.htm

Great suggestion, Auntie Madder, #17.
.
#43 January 17, 2011 at 1:54 pm
the pirranah commented:

What’s with the long winded soul search Mr. Humphries? There’s only 2 words that should be coming from your mouth. File Charges!

They left only understands forceful tacticts. Your actions so far shows weakness which is what they count on to exploit.
#44 January 17, 2011 at 2:08 pm
wanumba commented:

How about suing the sheriff, the state rep and the NYT for making him a target while he decides what to do?
Fuller didn’t come up with “Tea Party responsible” by himself, did he?
#45 January 17, 2011 at 2:08 pm
John Harber commented:

Trent, please press charges against Fuller…that Pima County Sheriff won’t do anything unless you force him against the wall!
#46 January 17, 2011 at 2:13 pm
Radegunda commented:

The Dems obviously want no charges to be filed. But if Humphries presses charges, the narrative will be: “Callous, vindictive teabagger attacks victim of teabagger atrocity!!”

Lefties posting comments on this site have been following that script already, saying it’s cold and heartless to utter a critical word about Fuller’s death threats, because after all he “believed” that the Tea Partiers injured him.

Okay, and Loughner “believed” that Rep. Giffords was doing evil things to him. So ….?
#47 January 17, 2011 at 3:01 pm
Henry Hawkins commented:

The case is good and righteous legally or it is not. Press the charges and if the prosecutor feels they should be dropped, he/she can do so with an explanation of why. The prosecutor can access the opinion of the professional staff of the hospital where Fuller is being observed and evaluated.
#48 January 17, 2011 at 3:27 pm
StrangernFiction commented:

:::::shaking head:::::: Press charges man!
#49 January 17, 2011 at 3:48 pm
IOpian commented:

How will you feel if he attempts to fulfill his threat, someone is harmed and you did nothing when you had the chance? File charges.
#50 January 17, 2011 at 4:05 pm
JohnB commented:

Mr. Humphries,

Fuller needs to go through the system, and the courts, and let them (hopefully) do their jobs. There needs to be a follow-up, and to be honest they usually have to be forced to do this. You can’t rely on their words, whether they’re claiming they will or won’t. Pressing criminal charges, and seeing them through all the way through to the end, is the only way to accomplish this. Orders of protection don’t go very far. 1.) they’re easily ignored and 2.) he could decide to just go after someone else instead. I doubt he has anything personal against you, you’re just a faceless “enemy” to him(read some of the interviews he had been doing after the shooting to get a look into his mindset, if you don’t believe me). Prior to his death threats he had also already shown up at Loughner’s parents home(noone was there to answer the door, which is probably just as well). Maybe his motives were sincere. I don’t doubt his motives were initially sincere for attending this ABC taping either, though.

As an aside, one of the reasons Loughner was able to carry out his acts, or even just buy a gun, is because there was no follow up. He had been booted from community college, and told not to return without a doctor’s notice stating that he was no longer a threat to himself or others. The school had that notice delivered to him, and his parents, by law enforcement officers. There was no follow up. Not even one phone call to local mental health services, according to the interviews in the press – the local services had no record of him. According to the police records law enforcement was quite familiar with Loughner, and could see that there was a problem with him, regarding his comprehension issues and such. And from Dupnik’s own statements, Loughner was well known to his law enforcement for making death threats. Again, no follow up, no charges, though according to the police reports released there was a grand jury investigation over a youtube video which showed the community college in poor light, after being a “victim” of the school. Youtube was subpoena’d over it. That was last fall. (The 51 pages of police records have been published and are downloadable as pdf here http://www.dailynews.com/breakingnews/ci_17079366 ). It’s apparent that nothing ever came of the grand jury investigation.

The ball is entirely in your court, and I realize this Fuller guy is a victim in the shootings, but that’s no excuse. Don’t allow him or others to get the best of your sympathies. Take anything he, law enforcement, and other officials say with a grain of salt. Like I said, press criminal charges, see them all the way through to the end without backing down at their “assurances”, let the system work and force them to (hopefully) do their jobs, and then let the chips fall where they may. But part of “letting the system work” means forcing them, seeing it through and being involved to the very end, every step of the way. The system doesn’t work and run on it’s own. Also, it’s not just for your own well-being and safety, but for that of the community at large.
#52 January 17, 2011 at 4:47 pm
donh commented:

I lose a lot of confidence in Tea party leadership reading such a namby pamby belaboring of what should be a very easy decision. Protection of my family will never be put at risk to satisfy a wasteful gesture of mercy towards a loathesome criminal.
#53 January 17, 2011 at 10:27 pm
Peter Warner commented:

Mr. Humphries Sir:

Please press charges. It is the responsible thing to do. The fact that the Sheriff’s Department is reluctant to take that responsibility should only clarify that you need to do that. You cannot rely on them to protect your family, or even to help the mentally unbalanced and violent Mr. Eric Fuller. Do the right thing and stand up., which will force others to do the right thing. If you don’t, and something (G-d forbid) goes terribly wrong, they will blame you.

It is incredible that with all the media lament over all the warning signs and endless train of lost opportunities to intervene with the Tucson mass murderer, a precisely identical situation is occurring within a week, in the same community, and the law enforcement and media are hesitant to act. These agencies are blinded by ideology and irresponsible in the extreme. They have to be shamed into action for the sake and safety of the general community.

Please press charges, before more life and liberty is lost.

Best regards, Peter Warner.
#54 January 18, 2011 at 4:03 am
AuntieMadder commented:

jonnot and justsaying, thank you for the contact info. I’ll rattle their cages tomorrow (later today, actually).
#55 January 18, 2011 at 4:06 am
AuntieMadder commented:

Granny, we either trust that Mr Fuller’s letter is factual or we don’t. And if we don’t, then there’s no point in even commenting on it or discussing it.
#56 January 18, 2011 at 9:23 am
Hangtown Bob commented:

It’s ridiculous that the victim has to “press charges”. This crime is a crime against society, not just something personal against the victim. It is against the law to threaten another with death. This is society’s law, not the victim’s law. It is the law’s obligation to proceed against the lawbreaker, not the obligation of the victim.

District Attorney, get real. DO YOUR JOB.
#57 January 18, 2011 at 1:24 pm
deMontjoie commented:

Clearly, Pima County has learned NOTHING from their failures in the Loughner case. The county’s administration is clearly a group of irresponsible and politically biased fools.

You should not have to make the decision to press charges. He comitted a criminal act and the LE folks should be able to take it from there. Since they clearly are unwilling to do so, Mr. Humphries must do what american patriots have been doing for nearly 250 years and take personal responsibility for the shortfalls of gov’t.
#59 January 18, 2011 at 5:55 pm
Merovign commented:

deMontJoie – I’d say Pima County has learned everything from their failures in the Loughner case – they got away with it then, why not keep doing it now?

I agree that charges need to be pressed, letting people get away with death threats just legitimizes the behavior in marginal people. Most of them would not carry it out, I doubt it would even change that rate, but it sure as heck creates a lot of stress and ill will in the meantime.
#60 January 18, 2011 at 7:30 pm
Mike Bell commented:

Press charges. The man is mentally unstable and dangerous. He made a death threat. He has been out of control for awhile. Take him off the streets and get him the help he needs. Sure, the MSM will do their usual hatchet job, but don’t let that stop you from doing the right thing.

Think of it this way. Imagine you don’t press charges and he then goes on to kill not you or your family, but somebody else…how would you feel then? You are not responsible for this man, but you have a chance to protect society and potentially do him some good.
#61 January 19, 2011 at 9:08 am
te3gtvu32fd commented:

There are stories on the internet about fuller’s violent and intimidating behavior before he was shot so you can’t blame his behavior on loughner and because of that past history of behavior something needs to happen to either get fuller help or restrain him from bothering more people in the future.