A candidate for mayor of Fresno and his son will be facing a jury over whether or not their attempted citizens’ arrest of a deputy city attorney amounted to conspiracy and attempted kidnapping.
The case stems from a 2010 confrontation between the three men in front of the courthouse. The father, Rick Morse, reportedly read a section of a law he claims that deputy city attorney Michael Flores violated before attempting to handcuff him. His son allegedly grabbed one wrist while he grabbed the other. The struggle continued for a few minutes before Sheriff’s deputies arrived.
Morse’s plan was to take Flores to either the FBI or the Department of Justice in Sacramento. Morse wasn’t a candidate for mayor at the time of the attempted arrest.
From the Fresno Bee:
Fresno mayoral candidate Rick Morse and his son will stand trial on felony charges of attempted kidnapping and conspiracy for trying to handcuff and arrest a deputy city attorney involved in closing down their medical marijuana clinic, a judge ruled Tuesday.
Judge Wayne Ellison, however, said the prosecution’s case wasn’t clear-cut against Rick and Brandon Morse because the law allows the public to make a citizen’s arrest.
Read the full article here.