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Allegheny County Controller Chelsa Wagner Found Not Guilty On Misdemeanor, No Decision On Felony Charge

DETROIT, Mich. (KDKA) - A jury has found recently re-elected Allegheny County Controller Chelsa Wagner not guilty of disturbing the peace but was unable to reach a decision regarding a felony count of assaulting and obstructing police.

The judge declared a mistrial in the case, our news partners at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette report.

Allegheny County Controller testified in her own defense yesterday, saying she tried to calm the situation that happened between police and her husband Khari Mosley at a hotel in Michigan last March. Police accuse Wagner of interfering with them when they tried to remove Mosley from the hotel.

chelsa wagner cell phone video
(Photo Credit: Chelsa Wagner)

In the courtroom earlier this week, the prosecution used hotel and police witnesses to describe the altercation that began when Mosley was denied a duplicate card to get to his hotel room.

When Mosley objected, police were called. They escorted him to the hotel room where police exchanged words with Wagner before ultimately a police officer arrested Mosley and tried to move him into an elevator while Wagner objected.

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Wagner says her and Mosley were victims and that police acted improperly.

During closing arguments, The Detroit News reports Wagner's defense attorney Charles Longstreet argued the cops involved engaged in "justification, minimization and exaggeration."

The defense argued the officers' actions were uncalled for. While the defense did not dispute that Wagner touched the officer, they argued the officer acted inappropriately when he "slammed" Wagner to the ground, The Detroit News says.

In the prosecution's closing arguments, Assistant prosecutor Erika Tursar argued the officers were polite and did nothing wrong. Instead, The Detroit News reports they accuse Wagner of acting inappropriately and pulling the "status card." Responding to the defense's comments saying Wagner was "body slammed," the defense replied, "Body slam? All you had to do was move. Just move."

The prosecution reportedly said the worst thing the cops did was call Mosley "a fool" as opposed to Wagner's "husband."

After closing arguments on Tuesday evening, the judge turned the case over to the jury. The Detroit News says jury began deliberations but left around 4 p.m. with plans to return Wednesday.

The Detroit News reports the jury was unable to reach a verdict on the felony obstruction charge, but they did acquit Wagner of the misdemeanor disturbing the peace. The judge said he would take the verdict, then discharged the jury.

Wagner's team tells KDKA's Jon Delano that nine jurors voted for acquittal of the felony obstruction charge but three found her guilty.

Back in July, Mosley was found not guilty on all counts.

Stay with KDKA.com for the latest on this developing story.

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