![Steve Romines press conference]()
Use that Fifth Amendment right to remain silent.
That's the message from Scottie Scheffler's attorney after
all charges against the world #1 golfer were dismissed following his arrest during a bizarre traffic incident during the PGA Championship in Louisville, Kentucky earlier this month.
Scheffler was originally charged with felony with felony second-degree assault of a police officer, as well as three misdemeanors: Third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving, and disregarding traffic signals.
According to the police report filed by Louisville Metro Police Department detective Bryan Gillis:
“Detective Gillis was directing traffic into Gate 1 of the Valhalla Golf Course due to the road being closed in both directions from an earlier fatal collision. Listed subject was driving eastbound to gain access to the course. Subject pulled into the westbound lanes, where outbound traffic was flowing and to avoid backed up traffic. Detective Gillis was in the middle of the westbound lanes, in full LMPD uniform and a hi-visibility yellow reflective rain jacket.
Detective Gillis stopped subject and attempted to give instructions. Subject refused to comply and accelerated forward, dragging Detective Gillis to the ground. Detective Gillis suffered pain, swelling, and abrasions to his left wrist and knee. He was transported to the hospital for further medical treatment by emergency medical personnel.
Detective Gillis’ uniform pants, valued at approximately $80 were damaged beyond repair.”
But Gillis failed to turn on his body cam so there was no video of the supposed "dragging" incident, and the video that was released seems to contradict much of the police report.
https://twitter.com/JoePompliano/status/1793680910543405259?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1793680910543405259%7Ctwgr%5E4d4c6e59016cf7f63a371c1a7a7f14d70afc4095%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.whiskeyriff.com%2F2024%2F05%2F29%2Fprosecutors-dismiss-all-charges-against-scottie-scheffler-based-upon-the-totality-of-the-evidence-my-office-cannot-move-forward%2F
Scottie called the incident "a big misunderstanding," and ultimately cooler heads prevailed today when Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney Mike O'Connell dismissed all charges against Scheffler.
During the brief hearing, O'Connell admitted that the evidence supported Scheffler's version of the events:
“Based upon the totality of the evidence, my office cannot move forward in the prosecution of the charges filed against Mr. Scheffler.
Mr. Scheffler’s characterization that this was, quote, a big misunderstanding, close quote, is corroborated by the evidence.”
So everybody just goes their separate ways now, right? Case dismissed, nothing left to say.
Well, not exactly, because in a press conference outside the courthouse after the charges were dismissed, Scheffler's attorney went scorched earth on the Louisville Police Department for bringing the case in the first place.
Steve Romines revealed that Scheffler was prepared to file a civil lawsuit against the city and the police department next Monday, ahead of his arraignment, if the charges were not dismissed and Scheffler was required to appear in court. But he said that the golfer didn't want to go that route, because it would have been the citizens of Louisville who would have been on the hook for any damages or settlement that was awarded to the (very wealthy) Scheffler.
Romines also felt confident that Scheffler would have had a strong case, especially after he was
heard on video telling another officer that Gillis struck him with his flashlight:
"There are absolutely grounds for a lawsuit. He doesn't want to be involved in one, again, because who pays? The taxpayers of Louisville. Scottie Scheffler doesn't want the taxpayers of Louisville to have to pay him a dime."
And he also says there are multiple witnesses who confirmed that Gillis wasn't "dragged" as he claimed in his police report:
"No, he was not. There are multiple eyewitnesses to the incident, the actual, initial contact...that confirm that he was not dragged.
Do you believe that they would have dismissed this case if he was dragged? No they would not have. That did not happen."
When asked whether he thought Gillis lied in his police report, Romines said he would leave that up to everybody else to decide, but he did issue a warning:
"Police overcharge every day. Any of you all get arrested leaving here, you're going to be overcharged. That's what happens. Why? Because it gives them more leverage in negotiations...
Yes, police overcharge every day to every person."
And he also issued a warning based on the video of Scheffler's conversation with the officer that was released:
"Here's what happened: He is being interrogated after the most stressful situation of his life, and the officer is actually asking him leading questions and trying to get him to agree with them.
And that's why you don't talk to police, because they are going to try to put words in your mouth, and that's exactly what they did...
He asked to talk to the officer. He wanted to explain to him what happened. However, they are trying to get him to confess to something that he didn't do, and the video evidence shows he didn't do it.
That's why you don't talk to the police. They are not trying to get to what happened, they are trying to get you to incriminate yourself. And that's what they were trying to do to him, and he didn't incriminate himself. He continued to show the quality of his character by trying to defuse the situation."
Oh, and as for Officer Gillis and his $80 pants? Turns out Scottie Scheffler's not going to be buying him a new pair.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9dZmkwV6J4&t=889
