Coeur d’Alene police recommend criminal charges for town hall security team

COEUR d’ALENE — After a weekslong investigation, police recommend that Coeur d’Alene city prosecutors file misdemeanor charges against security personnel who dragged a woman out of the Coeur d’Alene High School auditorium and allegedly battered others during a chaotic legislative town hall hosted by the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee.

The investigation reports prepared by the Coeur d’Alene Police Department are under review by city prosecutors, who will decide whether to file charges.

In Idaho, misdemeanor crimes are prosecuted at the city level, while felony crimes are prosecuted at the county level. Kootenai County prosecuting attorney Stan Mortensen confirmed that his office had not received any materials from law enforcement regarding the town hall as of Thursday afternoon.

Police asked city prosecutors to file charges of battery and false imprisonment against Paul Trouette, Alexander Trouette, Cristofer Berg, Russell Dunne and Jesse Jones, who were associated with the security firm Lear Asset Management, for their roles in the Feb. 22 incident that sparked international headlines.

The fracas began after Post Falls resident Teresa Borrenpohl shouted from the audience during the town hall. Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris approached Borrenpohl and told her to leave. When she refused, Norris took her by the arm with both hands and tried to pull her from her seat.

“Do you want pepper spray?” Norris said. “Let’s go.”

Norris then gestured to the security personnel, who were in plainclothes with no visible identifiers that they were working security for the event, a violation of Coeur d'Alene's municipal code.

The city of Coeur d’Alene has since revoked the business license for Lear Asset Management, though owner Paul Trouette is appealing the decision, according to public records.

“Lear Asset Management was under a direct lawful order by Sheriff Norris they could not lawfully refuse,” Trouette said in his appeal, according to public records.

The security personnel converged on Borrenpohl, pulled her into the aisle and grabbed her by her arms and legs, recordings show. Then they dragged her out of the auditorium.

Berg, Dunne, Jones and Paul Trouette “all put their hands on (Borrenpohl) against her will,” police said, while investigators identified Alexander Trouette as an accessory because no footage showed him touching other people. Borrenpohl sustained injuries from the incident, according to the police report, though police said the injuries did not rise to the level of aggravated battery under Idaho law.

Police identified three other members of the public who Norris or security personnel “forcefully touched or physically removed” from the town hall, including a woman who said Paul Trouette touched her breast after pushing her down the hallway and while attempting to turn her around to zip tie her hands.

Borrenpohl bit one of the men who had grabbed her. The Coeur d’Alene police officers who responded to the high school initially cited her with misdemeanor battery, though city prosecutors dismissed the citation two days later “in the interest of justice.”

Video recordings show Borrenpohl repeatedly ask the men to identify themselves. When she asked Norris if the men were his deputies, he gave no answer.

Police identify Norris as an “involved” party and note that the legality of his actions is “to be determined.”

The report described footage that showed Norris threaten to arrest a man who attended the town hall, “shoving” the man toward the auditorium exit and pushing him against a wall in the hallway outside.

Investigators asked to interview Norris about the town hall, but he declined through his attorney, Kinzo Mihara, according to public records.

Norris has repeatedly denied knowledge of the security arrangements and said he didn’t know the security personnel. Kootenai County GOP officials, who initially said they didn’t know which company provided security for their event, told The Press shortly after the town hall that “nothing was done without (Norris) being aware.”

Police said there is “no credible evidence” that a contract exists between the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee and Lear Asset Management for event security and no evidence suggests the security personnel had authority to trespass people from the town hall.

Jamie Haas, who sits on the KCRCC’s legislative committee, told The Press on the day of the town hall that she didn’t know who provided event security. Email records obtained by police showed that Paul Trouette emailed a proposed contract to Haas and several others. The contract was never signed, police said.

Police also recommended a battery charge against Michael Keller, a member of the public who allegedly shoved one of Borrenpohl’s friends. Police said footage from the town hall “shows the battery by Keller very clearly” and said he declined to speak with investigators through his attorney.