COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho — A jury delivered a split verdict Thursday for the owner of a private security company who forcibly removed multiple people from a Coeur d’Alene town hall meeting in February.
Paul Trouette, owner of Lear Asset Management, was found guilty of two battery charges involving Sarah Forsgren and Gregory Johnson. However, the jury acquitted him of the battery charge involving Theresa Borenpohl, whose removal was captured on viral video.
Video from the February town hall shows people dressed in black forcibly removing attendees from the meeting room. The footage shows Borenpohl calling out “This man is assaulting me” as she was being dragged away.
Prosecutors argued that Trouette overstepped his authority because his team was volunteering at the event and not wearing proper uniforms. The state contended this constituted battery that left bruising and abrasions on the victims.
Trouette’s defense centered on his claim that he was acting to maintain safety and was following directions from Sheriff Bob Norris, who was present at the meeting while off duty.
In addition to the battery convictions, Trouette was found guilty of two city code violations: an agent uniform violation and a security agent duties violation.
Sentencing is scheduled for approximately one month from now. Trouette faces potential jail time for the convictions.
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