Trump's campaign manager charged with battery of reporter

Washington, March 30 (IANS/EFE) The campaign manager for Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump was formally charged with battery on a reporter, police in Jupiter, Florida, north of Palm Beach, announced on Tuesday.

Corey Lewandowski is facing a charge of battery for "grabbing" reporter Michelle Fields' arm during a press conference being given by Trump on March 8 at a golf club he owns in Jupiter.

Fields, 28, then a reporter for conservative website Breitbart News, claims that Lewandowski grabbed her forcefully by the arm after she had posed a question to Trump.

A spokesperson for Trump said on Tuesday that Lewandowski, 41, is "absolutely innocent".

However, Fields' version has been corroborated by Washington Post journalist Ben Terris, who said that he witnessed her being grabbed.

Moreover, the police report says that a security camera videotape corroborates the complaint filed by Fields, who had published on the social networks photos showing bruises on her arm.

The reporter resigned from Breitbart less than a week after the incident, saying that the publication did not support her.

In like manner, former Breitbart editor Ben Shapiro also resigned saying that the media outlet "abandoned" Fields to protect Trump, who is leading the race for the Republican presidential nomination.

--IANS/EFE

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