Man acquitted in 'crippled girl' case
Photographer: Anthony Mirones
Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Posted: 11/02/2012
CINCINNATI (AP) - A jury has found a man not guilty of disorderly conduct after he asked people in a Cincinnati park if they wanted to laugh at a crippled girl.
Forest Thomer of Cold Spring, Ky. said his acquittal was a victory for free speech.
Prosecutors focused their case to emphasize what they said was Thomer's "turbulent behavior," not his speech.
A Cincinnati jury on Thursday acquitted the 25-year-old Thomer. A message was left for the prosecutor.
Thomer was charged after asking people if they wanted to laugh at his friend Ally Bruener. They were promoting the Alexandria, Ky., woman's comedy show and website.
Bruener has muscular dystrophy and is in a wheelchair and says she uses humor to try to remove any stigma about people with disabilities.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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