Published January 13, 2015
DeKalb County police will not file charges in the criminal investigation into an election night altercation between a television news photographer and a member of U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney's staff.
The case was dropped Friday after both parties indicated they did not wish to proceed.
The Aug. 8 incident took place as McKinney prepared to give her concession speech to opponent Hank Johnson in a runoff election for the Democratic nomination.
Steve Muhammad, 67, part of McKinney's security detail, told police that when he asked Gary Stilwell, a cameraman for Atlanta station WXIA-TV, to step back, Stilwell threw his camera at him, striking him in the eye.
Stilwell, 24, said he was filming McKinney when security officers pushed him, knocking his camera off his shoulder.
Muhammad's lawyer, Mawuli Davis, said both men plan to meet to talk about the altercation.
"Our intent is just to sit down face to face like men and just say, 'Hey it was a chaotic night, an emotional night,' and this will bring some closure," Davis said.
McKinney drew national attention in March after striking a Capitol Police officer. A grand jury in Washington declined to indict McKinney for the clash with the officer, but she eventually apologized before the House, and Johnson made frequent mention of the incident during the campaign.
https://www.foxnews.com/story/no-charges-in-mckinney-runoff-night-scuffle