Special prosecutor named in gun incident at ‘Hands Off’ rally
LPD chief says investigation could take months to go through witnesses’ video of confrontation between driver in Trump gear and anti-Trump demonstrators in downtown Lafayette
Thanks to sponsor Stuart & Branigin for continued support of the Based in Lafayette reporting project.
SPECIAL PROSECUTOR NAMED IN GUN INCIDENT AT ‘HANDS OFF’ RALLY
A special prosecutor from Lake County will take over decisions about what charges, if any, get filed in an ongoing investigation into the events that played out at an April 5 “Hands Off” rally in downtown Lafayette, when a driver in Trump gear challenged demonstrators, got head-butted then grabbed a rifle from his truck to confront a crowd outside the Tippecanoe County Courthouse.
On Tuesday, Tippecanoe Circuit Judge Sean Persin agreed to Tippecanoe County Prosecutor Pat Harrington’s request for a special prosecutor, appointing Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter.
In a motion filed April 11, Harrington said a member of the prosecutor’s office staff is related to someone involved in the incident, “thereby possibly creating the appearance of impropriety.”
“In circumstances, such as the reason in our motion, which would call into question the impartiality of the process, it is both appropriate and responsible to request a special prosecutor,” Harrington said in a release Tuesday afternoon. “This step helps reinforce public confidence in our legal system and assures all parties that the matter will be reviews fairly and independently.”
According to accounts from witnesses, video shared with Based in Lafayette and comments from those involved, James Jordan, a Tippecanoe County resident, got out of pickup truck when he said people crossing Third Street to get to the rally kept him from making a right-hand turn onto Third Street.
Video footage offered to Based in Lafayette from witnesses showed Jordan – wearing a white “Make America Great Again” hat and a gray hoodie that read, “Trump: Better coverage than 5G. Can you hear us now?” – leave his truck on the street to go chest-to-chest with several demonstrators, his hands in the air as he argued face-to-face with people at the corner. After he was shoved back by demonstrators, video shows Jeremy Marks, a Lafayette man, head-butting Jordan in the face.
Video shows Jordan returning to the driver’s side of his truck, retrieving an assault-style rifle and coming back to the corner, his nose bloodied and telling people to call 911. He walked along the lines of demonstrators on sidewalks outside the courthouse, first along Third Street and then along Columbia Street, as people shouted to the roughly 800 people there that he had a gun.
Jordan eventually returned the weapon to his truck, before continuing to confront demonstrators, including what witnesses say and video indicates him momentarily taking one man’s phone.
Police responding to the corner briefly detained Jordan before initially determining from city-owned security cameras at the intersection that what he’d done was self-defense. Jordan was released a short time later. Marks was arrested later that evening and spent 12 hours in the Tippecanoe County Jail; Marks told Based in Lafayette that he head-butted Jordan after he pushed his way into the crowd, knocking into an older woman who was standing there for the rally.
A day later, Lafayette police indicated that the case remained open, after video shot up close and eye-witness accounts suggested a different scenario about the encounters between Jordan and those in a crowd. LPD received dozens of video clips from people at the scene after calling out for witness statements and evidence.
As of Tuesday, the Lafayette police investigation continues, LPD Chief Scott Galloway said.
“This will be a long term investigation,” Galloway said. “Months. We are diligently working on this, but (there’s) so much video and statements, along with social media evidence. This will take a while to get a case ready to present.”
For more coverage
Thanks to Stuart & Branigin for its sponsorship help with today’s edition.
Thank you for supporting Based in Lafayette, an independent, local reporting project. Free and full-ride subscription options are ready for you here.
Tips, story ideas? I’m at davebangert1@gmail.com.
It’s interesting that the incident which was blown off in a matter of hours, is now expected to take months to investigate. Months = thorough.
I appreciate that they saw the need for a special prosecutor as well, to avoid that conflict of interest mentioned in the article.
Where were the Lafayette Police protecting the First Amendmentists from the Second Amendmentist walking through the crowd with his "militia" implement.
Also, why wasn't Jordan ticketed for leaving a vehicle "parked" at the corner impeding traffic when he decided to walk through the crowd with his rifle?
But on the bright side, at least he didn't leave the vehicle with a weapon inside it so that a below legal-age person didn't have access to it.