Case of NC man accused of assault at Trump rally continued until July
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (AP/WNCN) – The case of a white Donald Trump rally supporter accused of assaulting a black man being escorted from a rally by sheriff’s deputies has been continued until July.
Officials say 78-year-old John Franklin McGraw of Linden quickly appeared in a Cumberland County courtroom Wednesday morning. The judge continued the case until July 13.
McGraw is charged with assault and disorderly conduct after the rally for the Republican presidential front-runner in Fayetteville.
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The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office said the assault victim, Rakeem Jones, was being escorted out of Crown Coliseum after disrupting the rally, and deputies had their eyes on the stairs when the assault happened.
Five Cumberland County deputies were disciplined following a professional standards investigation about the incident. Three deputies were demoted in rank, and they were suspended for a period of five days each without pay.
Two other deputies were suspended for a period of three days without pay for unsatisfactory performance and the failure to discharge their duties.
Both McGraw and Jones appeared in court Wednesday and the judge told them to not interact with one another.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. WNCN contributed to this article.