Legal actions have been initiated in northern Idaho where several individuals face misdemeanor charges related to the forceful removal of a woman from a legislative town hall event earlier this year. Theresa Borrenpohl, who was forcibly escorted out of a gathering held in a Coeur d’Alene school by private security officers in civilian attire, has formally notified Kootenai County leaders of her intent to file a lawsuit through a tort claim notice.
The City Prosecutor’s office in Coeur d’Alene has announced that Paul Trouette, Russell Dunne, Christofer Berg, and Jesse Jones face charges that include misdemeanor battery, false imprisonment, and security violations. Alex Trouette IV is specifically charged with violating security regulations concerning agent duties and uniform requirements. All of these men are linked to Lear Asset Management, a private security firm whose license was subsequently revoked by the city post-incident. An additional individual, Michael Keller, not affiliated with the security firm, is also charged with misdemeanor battery.
Specific details surrounding the charges have not yet been released, and further comments from the prosecutor’s office are currently unavailable. Dunne has declined to speak on the matter, while Berg and Paul Trouette have not provided responses to messages. Attempts to contact Jones, Keller, and Alex Trouette for their comments have been unsuccessful.
The town hall meeting, organized by the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee, attracted an audience of approximately 450, as per organizers’ accounts. The event was marked by escalating emotions, with participants alternately cheering and jeering. At one juncture, Borrenpohl, who has been an unsuccessful Democratic candidate in the predominantly Republican district, engaged vocally with the crowd.
Footage from the event captured interactions involving Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris, who was not in uniform but identifiable by his badge. Norris introduced himself to Borrenpohl, advising her to either leave or face removal. Shortly thereafter, Norris resumed filming with his cellphone as three men, unidentified and not in standard uniforms, proceeded to physically engage with Borrenpohl despite her requests for their identification.
The unfolding of these events has led Kootenai County Undersheriff Brett Nelson to issue a statement promising a thorough and unbiased investigation by an external agency into the incident. In expressing her viewpoint, Borrenpohl has pointed to similar accounts from others who reached out in the aftermath, highlighting an overarching need for accountability.
“Town halls are meant to encourage open dialogue and cross-party discourse, which is why I am profoundly troubled that I was forcefully removed, merely for exercising the fundamental right to free speech,” Borrenpohl articulated in a statement released on Monday.