Discover Yahoo! With Your Friends

Explore news, videos, and much more based on what your friends are reading and watching. Publish your own activity and retain full control.

To get started, first

YOUR FRIENDS' ACTIVITY

    No charges in casino scuffle involving NY senator

    NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (AP) — No charges will be filed following a casino scuffle involving New York state Sen. Mark Grisanti two weeks ago, authorities said Friday.

    The Niagara County District Attorney and Niagara Falls police said they made the determination after reviewing video and talking to witnesses and those involved in the fight at the Seneca Niagara Casino.

    Calling it "an unfortunate incident," they said the case is closed.

    "I disagree with the decision to not press charges," Grisanti responded. "However, I respect the judicial and legal process."

    The first-term Republican and his wife Maria had said they wanted to pursue charges. They said they were attacked when Grisanti tried to mediate an argument between two men in the lobby bar following a fundraising gala for the Seneca Diabetes Foundation on Feb. 10.

    Grisanti said that when he identified himself, one of the men cursed, accused him of hating the Seneca Nation and punched him in the chest. As the men scuffled, Maria Grisanti said she was thrown to the ground by two women who pulled her hair and repeatedly slammed her head on the floor, leaving her with a concussion.

    "It is disappointing that enough evidence could not be collected to charge the people who attacked and injured my wife," Grisanti said. "My only priority in all of this has been the well-being of my wife Maria, and that does not change with the DA's decision."

    The men and women the couple accused said Grisanti was the aggressor.

    Police early on expressed doubts about whether anyone would be charged, telling media outlets that bar fights with multiple parties are difficult to sort out and prosecute and that surveillance video did not show who started the fight.

     

    26 comments

    • Enzo  •  Needham, Massachusetts  •  3 mths ago
      DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?
      • U Hairy Tick U 3 mths ago
        Correct Answer : (Smack!) Someone whose cradling their testes and moaning.
      • Edo 3 mths ago
        who are u. no better than any one else
    • maryjanesuncle  •  Springfield, Missouri  •  3 mths ago
      So I take it that was a vote of no confidence...
    • revman  •  Montville, Connecticut  •  3 mths ago
      They can change those cameras to do what ever they want.All casinos have multiple cameras especially in the bars,they know without a doubt who started it.EXCEPT IF YOUR A SENTATOR.
    • Kidd Badpatty  •  3 mths ago
      ....better check charges on his politician credit card.....
    • Retired Mercenary  •  3 mths ago
      Who really cares. NOT ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    • lucky louie  •  Ormond Beach, Florida  •  3 mths ago
      Sound like he ran his mouth to the wrong people and he got shut-up . Not everybody has to repect you . Your just a mouthpeice for use and what you say ISN'T the law
    • William  •  Cincinnati, Ohio  •  3 mths ago
      Given the high charged emotions and negative feelings toward public officials these days it's better they keep a low profile and most do, under their desk.
    • hatecowboys  •  Saratoga Springs, New York  •  3 mths ago
      he more then likely puffed up his chicken little chest and said I AM A SENATOR then as most ppl react around chicken little the sky fell on him repeatly and thanks to 2 strangers mrs chicken little was thrown to the ground to protect hr from the falling sky give those ppl a medal
    • Alan J  •  3 mths ago
      Republican in a gambling house ? Back to the confessional again!!
    • Chuck  •  3 mths ago
      How stupid, trying to break up a bar fight that doesn't even involve him in the first place.
      • Crackpot 3 mths ago
        He was trying to do the right thing.
    • S  •  3 mths ago
      imagine that a senator gets off again
    • Minn_Cpl  •  3 mths ago
      #$%$ There Cameras caught it all. They can tell what cards you have. Its all on tape!!
    • Larry  •  Englewood, Colorado  •  3 mths ago
      Put all the crooked politicians in jail. That is where they belong for what they have done to our country.
    • A Yahoo! User  •  3 mths ago
      A Republican has never stopped a fight, ever.
    • NC  •  3 mths ago
      Why did the Republican Senator just call for security when approaching the brawl? Casinos are packed with security to deal with such situations. Seems to me that the best thing for Maria was for the Republican Senator to call for security or mind his own business. If there was alcohol involved, I can see where the Police don't take sides.
    • salmonella  •  3 mths ago
      Well now they know how it is for the rest of us!
    • BILLY QUINN  •  Oklahoma City, Oklahoma  •  3 mths ago
      still say they need to shove the casinos up their a@@ !!!!
    • Brian Poulin  •  3 mths ago
      Let this be a lesson, don't interfere when morons are arguin. Back off and call 911. Maybe the senator simply thought he was in a legislative setting.
    • R  •  Buffalo, New York  •  3 mths ago
      Two people arguing in a bar - think I'll poke my nose in - oh yeah, this guy is savvy enough to be a NY state legislator.
    • Michael  •  3 mths ago
      Yeah no charges brought! Anyone else would be going to trial and possible jail.With a senator involved there is NO evidence of who started the fight.Film probably showed the dear senator starting it but hey,can't put a senator from the great corrupt state of new york in jail.
      • Randy M 3 mths ago
        The senator is the one who wanted to press charges ..you liberal idiot
      • Michael 3 mths ago
        Liberal hah, I live in new york state you yahoo half wit. Let us not forget our prost/i/tute loving governor.
    [ [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 2]], 'http://yhoo.it/KeQd0p', '[Slideshow: See photos taken on the way down]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 7]], ' http://yhoo.it/KpUoHO', '[Slideshow: Death-defying daredevils]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['know that we have confidence in', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/LqYjAX ', '[Related: The Secret Service guide to Cartagena]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['We picked up this other dog and', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JUSxvi', '[Related: 8 common dog fears, how to calm them]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 5]], 'http://bit.ly/JnoJYN', '[Related: Did WH share raid details with filmmakers?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 3]], 'http://bit.ly/KoKiqJ', '[Factbox: AQAP, al-Qaeda in Yemen]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have my contacts on or glasses', 3]], 'http://abcn.ws/KTE5AZ', '[Related: Should the murder charge be dropped?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JD7nlD', '[Related: Bristol Palin reality show debuts June 19]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 1]], 'http://bit.ly/JRPFRO', '[Related: McCain adviser who vetted Palin weighs in on VP race]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['A JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GV9zpj', '[Related: View photos of the JetBlue plane in Amarillo]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 15]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/white-house-stays-out-of-teen-s-killing-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120411/martinzimmermen.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['Titanic', 7]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/titanic-anniversary/', ' ', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/b/4e/b4e5ad9f00b5dfeeec2226d53e173569.jpeg', '550', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['He was in shock and still strapped to his seat', 6]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/navy-jet-crashes-in-virginia-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120406/jet_ap.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]
    [ [ [['did not go as far his colleague', 8]], '29438204', '0' ], [ [[' the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 4]], '28924649', '0' ], [ [['because I know God protects me', 14], ['Brian Snow was at a nearby credit union', 5]], '28811216', '0' ], [ [['The state news agency RIA-Novosti quoted Rosaviatsiya', 6]], '28805461', '0' ], [ [['measure all but certain to fail in the face of bipartisan', 4]], '28771014', '0' ], [ [['matter what you do in this case', 5]], '28759848', '0' ], [ [['presume laws are constitutional', 7]], '28747556', '0' ], [ [['has destroyed 15 to 25 houses', 7]], '28744868', '0' ], [ [['short answer is yes', 7]], '28746030', '0' ], [ [['opportunity to tell the real story', 7]], '28731764', '0' ], [ [['entirely respectable way to put off the searing constitutional controversy', 7]], '28723797', '0' ], [ [['point of my campaign is that big ideas matter', 9]], '28712293', '0' ], [ [['As the standoff dragged into a second day', 7]], '28687424', '0' ], [ [['French police stepped up the search', 17]], '28667224', '0' ], [ [['Seeking to elevate his candidacy back to a general', 8]], '28660934', '0' ], [ [['The tragic story of Trayvon Martin', 4]], '28647343', '0' ], [ [['Karzai will get a chance soon to express', 8]], '28630306', '0' ], [ [['powerful storms stretching', 8]], '28493546', '0' ], [ [['basic norm that death is private', 6]], '28413590', '0' ], [ [['songwriter also saw a surge in sales for her debut album', 6]], '28413590', '1', 'Watch music videos from Whitney Houston ', 'on Yahoo! Music', 'http://music.yahoo.com' ], [ [['keyword', 99999999999999999999999]], 'videoID', '1', 'overwrite-pre-description', 'overwrite-link-string', 'overwrite-link-url' ] ]
    Loading...