Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Lawyer Cites Donald Trump's Rhetoric in Defense of Montana Man Who Assaulted a Boy for Wearing a Hat During the National Anthem

Lawyer Cites Donald Trump's Rhetoric in Defense of Montana Man Who Assaulted a Boy for Wearing a Hat During the National Anthem
Mineral County Sheriff's Department; Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Words have consequences.

The Trump administration may soon find themselves facing another subpoena. But this time not from Congress.

After a horrific attack by a 39 year-old man in Montana against a 13 year-old boy, his lawyer is citing President Donald Trump as the instigator. Montana resident Curt Brockway was charged Monday with "felony assault on a minor" after choke-slamming a 13 year-old child and fracturing the boy's skull.


But Brockway's defense attorney, Lance Jasper, told the Missoulian President Trump's "rhetoric" incited the violence.

Jasper cited a head injury from a vehicle crash in 2000 as a contributing factor to why he attacked the boy—Brockway believed—on President Trump's orders. Brockway stated several times his actions were justified because the boy disrespected the flag and the national anthem by not removing his hat.

Jasper claimed due to Brockway's prior military service:

"His commander in chief is telling people that if they kneel, they should be fired, or if they burn a flag, they should be punished."

The defense attorney added:

"[Brockway] certainly didn't understand [slamming the boy to the ground] was a crime."

Witness statements seem to indicate the same. Taylor Hennick heard the assault as she entered the Mineral County Fair and Rodeo.

She told the Missoulian:

"There was a little boy lying on the ground. He was bleeding out of his ears, seizing on the ground, just not coherent."

She added of Brockway who justified his actions to those around him in the immediate aftermath:

"He said [the boy] was disrespecting the national anthem so he had every right to do that."

The White House was contacted for possible comment, but issued no response to Brockway's defense attorney's claims.

The unusual legal maneuver brings up several questions about other pending cases where violent acts or credible threats of violence were made that also invoked rhetoric from President Trump' Make America Great Again (MAGA) rallies or his Twitter feed.

Is there going to be a "Trump defense"? Will Trump's rhetoric be cited as a defense in the case of the MAGA bomber? Or the domestic terrorism attack in El Paso? Both cited verbatim messaging employed by the Trump administration and the Trump presidential campaigns.

Jasper argued on Brockway's behalf, with the President's repeated calls to weed out those who protested during the national anthem or criticized the nation, Brockway is no longer thinking for himself but responding to a "presidential order."

@CallMeDaveOkay/Twitter

According to Jasper:

"Obviously [Brockway] owes a big portion of accountability for what took place, but it's certain that there was other things at work here that definitely contributed."

He added:

"Trump never necessarily says go hurt somebody, but the message is absolutely clear. I am certain of the fact that [Brockway] was doing what he believed he was told to do, essentially, by the President."

As for whether the defense will work in Brockway's favor, Jasper is uncertain.

"There is the defense that his mental illness or brain injury that will be raised, along with permission given by the President. Whether that passes muster with the court as a viable defense is for a different day."

People are concurring with Jasper's assessment of Brockway's motivation.

@smoothl_yj/Twitter

Statements made to law enforcement indicate Brockway told Deputy Micah Allard he "grabbed the boy by the throat, lifted him into the air and slammed the boy on the ground." Brockway was on probation still for a 2010 assault with  a weapon conviction when he attacked the boy.

At his sentencing, the prosecution requested $100,000 bail be set, but the judge decided to release Brockway on his own recognizance.

The book Age of Anger: A History of the Present is available here.

More from People/donald-trump

Jasmine Crockett Calls Out Trump's Hypocrisy By Pointing Out How Melania Got Her Visa
Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for SiriusXM; Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images

Jasmine Crockett Calls Out Trump's Hypocrisy By Pointing Out How Melania Got Her Visa

Texas Democratic Representative Jasmine Crockett pointed out President Donald Trump's hypocrisy on immigration considering how First Lady Melania Trump's pathway to citizenship was possible because she received an "Einstein visa," which is usually reserved for an individual with "some sort of significant achievement."

Speaking during a House Judiciary Committee hearing titled “Restoring Integrity and Security to the Visa Process,” Crockett noted that “the idea that Trump and my Republican colleagues want to restore integrity and security in the visa process is actually a joke," and harshly criticized the Trump administration's immigration crackdown and visa restrictions.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots of Jennifer Griffin and Pete Hegseth
The Hill

Fox Host Comes To Reporter's Defense After Pete Hegseth Berates Her At Pentagon Briefing

Fox News' chief political analyst Brit Hume came to the defense of Fox national security reporter Jennifer Griffin after their former colleague, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, criticized Griffin as the reporter "who misrepresents the most intentionally what the president says” in a Pentagon news conference.

Hegseth, a former Fox News anchor, had criticized media outlets—including his former network—for what he described as unpatriotic reporting. Hegseth took particular aim at early intelligence assessments suggesting that President Donald Trump's bombing of Iran may not have significantly crippled Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

Keep ReadingShow less

Teachers Share The Questions Students Asked In Class That Broke Their Hearts

Being a teacher is a calling.

It is not for the meek or weak of heart.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Emily Compagno
Fox News

Fox Host Slams Dem For Dropping An F-Bomb After Praising Trump For The Same Thing Just Minutes Earlier

Fox News host Emily Compagno was criticized after she praised Donald Trump's use of the "f-bomb" earlier this week before condemning Texas Democratic Representative Jasmine Crockett's use of the same word—on the same episode of her show, no less.

Trump made headlines this week after admonishing Israel and Iran for violating a ceasefire agreement he'd announced on Truth Social. Although he claimed the ceasefire had been "agreed upon," Iran fired at least six missile barrages at Israel after it was supposed to take effect.

Keep ReadingShow less
Ken Jennings; Emily Croke
@Jeopardy/Instagram

Champ's Wild Final Jeopardy Connection

In a dramatic conclusion on last Monday’s Jeopardy!, a contestant revealed a surprising relationship to the final clue's answer. Hailing from Denver, Emily Croke made it to the final write-in portion of the game show with $12,200 in earnings.

In the category of “Collections,” host Ken Jennings read the clue:

Keep ReadingShow less