Prosecutors have dropped charges against Stormy Daniels just hours after the porn actress was arrested at an Ohio strip club.
She was accused of illegally rubbing undercover police officers’ faces against her breasts during a performance.
Her lawyer, Michael Avenatti, said she was “set up” in a Columbus police sting operation, calling it an “absurd use of law enforcement resources”.
I am pleased to report that the charges against my client @stormydaniels have been dismissed in their entirety (below motion was just granted). I want to thank Joe Gibson & his colleagues at the prosecutors ofc for their professionalism starting with our first call early this am. pic.twitter.com/xHPSWsyqM2
— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) July 12, 2018
Police said they routinely conduct such undercover operations.
The 39-year-old adult film star who claims to have had sex with President Donald Trump was charged with three misdemeanours, each punishable by up to six months in jail and a 1,000 US dollar (£757) fine. She was released on 6,000 dollar (£4,500) bail.
By early afternoon, prosecutors said they were dropping the case because Ohio’s law against physical contact between strippers and customers applies only to someone who “regularly” performs at a club.
In Ms Daniels’ case, it was her first appearance at Sirens in Columbus.
My client @StormyDaniels refuses to be intimidated. She will return to the scene of the “no crime” tonight in Columbus, Ohio as scheduled. She never ceases to impress! #Courage #Basta
— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) July 12, 2018
Columbus police chief Kim Jacobs said that “element of the law was missed in error”.
“A mistake was made and I accept full responsibility,” she said.
Officers were well within their area of responsibility when making the arrests, she added.
She said the officers’ motivations will be reviewed internally. She said unsubstantiated allegations about their motivations were circulating on social media.
Mr Avenatti tweeted that Ms Daniels “refuses to be intimidated” and would “return to the scene of the ‘no crime’” to perform again on Thursday night at the club.
I’ll be going onstage tonight at Sirens in Columbus to perform for my fans and register voters as planned. Can’t stop the storm. ??#stormthevote #TEAMSTORMY #BASTA #fearless
— Stormy Daniels (@StormyDaniels) July 12, 2018
Police said Ms Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, smacked the faces of two female officers and one male officer with her breasts during the Wednesday night show.
Officers knocked on the door of her tour bus after the performance and took her into custody in an arrest that Mr Avenatti said left her “traumatised and rattled”.
She was booked under a 10-year-old state law known as the Community Defence Act that says dancers at “sexually oriented” businesses are prohibited from touching customers and vice versa.
Police said two other dancers were arrested along with Ms Daniels. Prosecutors will decide whether to pursue charges against those women.
Saddened to hear the other 2 dancers arrested with me last night did not have their charges dropped. All tips from my stage performance tonight at Sirens in Columbus will go towards their legal fees. Come support the working women of this city. #letussurvive
— Stormy Daniels (@StormyDaniels) July 12, 2018
Police said Ms Daniels’ arrest was part of a long-term human trafficking investigation of adult clubs. They said they have made numerous arrests under the no-touching law.
The police department “engages in these operations routinely,” said spokesman Sgeant Dean Worthington.
Before the election, she was paid 130,000 dollars (£98,000) to stay silent in a deal handled by Mr Trump’s personal lawyer Michael Cohen. She is now suing to invalidate the nondisclosure agreement.
