Henderson GOP official accuses DA of interfering in her dismissed assault on female case

A Henderson County Republican Party official has accused the district attorney of interfering in her assault case − something denied by DA Andrew Murray who stepped away from the case citing a potential conflict of interest.

Kathy Maney, GOP precinct chair for Hoopers Creek, had brought a criminal complaint against the party county chair Brett Callaway, saying he assaulted her by grabbing her hand and trying to prevent her from taking a cell phone video at what Maney described as a chaotic March 23 county GOP convention.

On June 12, the charge against Callaway was dismissed in Henderson County District Court. A notation in the case file said it was "not in the state's interest to prosecute," a staff member with the clerk of court's office said June 18.

The Citizen Times reached out to Callaway.

Henderson is the Republican center for the west of the state and has produced the region's last two members of Congress — former Rep. Madison Cawthorn and current Rep. Chuck Edwards. In neighboring Buncombe, a heavily Democratic county, the GOP chair, Doug Brown, was also charged with assaulting a female Republican official. Brown's next court date is July 8.

Commenting June 18, Maney told the Citizen Times that she had evidence in the form of her video and two witnesses but was told by Assistant District Attorney Lily Ferry she was dismissing the charge because Maney had no bruises on her arms.

Murray, a Republican, had recused himself from the case because of potential conflicts of interest that he said were due to having interacted with Callaway and Maney at political functions.

Maney, though, in her June 18 comments to the Citizen Times said she did not know the DA and accused him of directing the actions of his assistant district attorney despite his recusal.

"I don't know if he knows me or not, but I personally don't know him. But I do know he has a good relationship with Brett Callaway," she said. "The thing is, his assistant district attorneys, they do what he tells them do, you know. So, Lily, I think, was just following what she was told she had do is what I believe."

Murray, who was at a DA's conference in Wilmington, denied the allegation.

"I had no knowledge as to evidence or specifics of the case, provided no instructions and made no decisions," Murray said in a text. "ADA Lily Ferry and Senior ADA Doug Mundy handled the matter and independently made all the decisions."

In a comment to the Citizen Times, Ferry said the choice to dismiss was hers and that she did a "thorough investigation of the facts."

"It seemed that a division in the GOP was fueling the decision for Ms. Maney to take out a magistrate's warrant against Callaway," she said. "The evidence pointed to him stopping her from videoing something that trying to hurt her."

Ferry said law enforcement present at the convention had access to the same evidence and chose not to take out charges, adding that she referred the parties to mediation but it was "unsuccessful."

The GOP official in charge of the region covering Western North Carolina's 11th Congressional District, meanwhile, said she respected the outcome.

"The assistant district attorney dismissed the charges, and we're going to respect the system," said 11th District GOP Chair Michele Woodhouse.

"At the at the end of the day, we want to make sure that the party is focused on doing the good work that the party needs to be focused on," Woodhouse said. "And I'm sure there is a process in place if Ms. Maney wants to pursue it further."

Asked about what that process might be, Woodhouse said she did not know, but added she was "extremely confident" in the work of the DA's office.

Joel Burgess has lived in WNC for more than 20 years, covering politics, government and other news. He's written award-winning stories on topics ranging from gerrymandering to police use of force. Got a tip? Contact Burgess at jburgess@citizentimes.com, 828-713-1095 or on Twitter @AVLreporter. Please help support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Henderson GOP official accuses DA of interfering in her assault case