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LAYTON — Prosecutors have chosen not to file charges against a Democratic Utah House leader who got into a physical altercation with a Republican state senator in a Senate building hallway.
Last October, Sen. Daniel Thatcher, R-West Valley City, and House Minority Leader Brian King, D-Salt Lake City, got into an argument that was captured by surveillance cameras.
After the incident, Thatcher pursued criminal charges against King. Citing a conflict of interest, the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office passed the case along to the Layton City Attorney's Office to screen charges.
This week, according to Layton officials, attorneys met with investigating officers and determined that, although "Brian King's physical contact with Dan Thatcher was inexusable and offensive," the evidence didn't rise to a level where a conviction would be likely at trial.
In the 42-second video clip, King is shown walking down a corridor away from the surveillance camera when Thatcher comes from another hallway and puts his hand on King's shoulder.
King places his hands just below Thatcher's armpits and shoves him toward a wall. Thatcher braces himself with one foot against the wall and pushes back. The two men stand face to face with King pointing his finger at Thatcher's chest but does not appear to make contact. Thatcher puts an arm up twice as King apparently lectures him for a few seconds and walks away.
Others in the hallway appear oblivious to the confrontation, including a Utah Highway Patrol trooper who glances at the two men down the hall as he passes by.
King admits he made contact with Thatcher, but not in the manner Thatcher has described. He said he didn't touch Thatcher after the initial push.
