Dad arrested for “cheering for his son while maskless” has case dismissed by New York judge

Maskless man removed from meeting
Screenshot from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrJ6085nOuY

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ROCHESTER, NY- One for the good guys. A Rochester, New York father who was arrested for the “crime” of refusing to wear a mask outside at his son’s baseball game, while social distancing had his charges dismissed last week.

The Daily Wire tells us that Chad Hummel, a practicing attorney, was looking at up to three months in jail, as well as possible action against his license to practice law. Judge Joseph J. Valentino acquitted Hummel after a four-hour bench trial.

After his acquittal, Hummel said he plans to sue the school district over its further decision to ban him from school district property, which would have forbidden Hummel from attending his son’s graduation ceremony.

“Mr. Hummel is pleased with the verdict and he is thankful for the Court’s thoughtful legal Decision,” a press release sent to The Daily Wire from Hummel read. The release further suggests that two witnesses for the prosecution committed perjury “under oath” during the trial.

“Hummel cannot elaborate on their identity or the nature of the untrue testimony as he prepares for the civil lawsuit to come and believes that the civil litigation is the appropriate forum for that truth to come out,” the statement read.

In explaining the arrest, the statement said:

“The Trespass charge arose from an incident where Hummel was standing alone in a field, hundreds of feet from anyone, maskless, when he was approached by security guard employed by the Irondequoit Chief of Police, Alan Laird’s private security company in Town,” the statement said.

“The plain-clothes guard ordered Hummel to leave his son’s baseball game despite the Executive Order at the time that did not require outdoor masking. There was even a sign on the Stadium entrance that stated masks were optional when 6 feet apart. Mr. Hummel stood his ground and the police arrived, handcuffed him, and took him to jail.”

Last spring, Hummel told The Daily Wire that he required a public apology and certain resignations in order for him to not pursue a civil rights lawsuit:

“The message to the school district is simply this: I could have a pretty substantial civil rights lawsuit when my criminal case gets dismissed,” he said. “But I’m not in this for the money. I don’t want their money. If they want to issue a public apology to all the people that they’ve been heavy-handed against, and if a couple want to publicly resign, I’ll give them a full release of my lawsuit that I could bring against them once my criminal case is dismissed.

“If certain people resign, including Superintendent Mary Grow, Hummel emphasized that he will gladly drop his intention to sue—but the choice is in their hands.

“They can keep the money; I don’t want it. If they don’t want to resign and they don’t want to issue a public apology, then they’re going to make that decision for me. They’ll give me no choice; I’ll have to bring a lawsuit against hem. It’s that simple.”

In the press release after the court decision, it read:

“Mr. Hummel has been previously quoted as stating that, ‘[he] would accept a public apology, some resignations, and a change to the school code of conduct’ in lieu of monetary damages,” it read.

“Now that the District sought to criminalize him, damage his professional career, and hurt his family, he’s reconsidering.”