North Carolina

Courtroom Applauds as Trump Protester Hugs Man Punched at Rally

A man accused of hitting a protester at a Donald Trump rally in North Carolina has received a 30-day suspended sentence and 12 months of unsupervised probation.

Local media outlets report 79-year-old John Franklin McGraw of Linden pleaded no contest on Wednesday to misdemeanor charges of assault and battery and disorderly conduct. A judge also ordered McGraw to pay $180 in court costs and a $250 fine.

McGraw is accused of hitting Rakeem Jones as Cumberland County sheriff's deputies were removing Jones from the Trump rally in Fayetteville on March 9. The assault was captured on video.

McGraw apologized for his actions, and Judge Tal Baggett told him to talk to Jones. The two men spoke, shook hands and hugged, and people in the courtroom applauded.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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