A prime FBI informant against protesters at the Republican National Convention has waived the right to his own trial:
An undercover FBI informant who infiltrated an anarchist group planning disruptions at the Republican National Convention waived his right to a trial on Monday for an unrelated incident in which he is charged with five counts of assault, burglary and damage to property.
Information from the informant—Andrew Darst—is being used against the RNC 8, who will stand trial for criminal conspiracy to disrupt the Republican National Convention in St. Paul. He’s waiving his trial, presumably, because is own criminal case (and the public airing of its details) could undermine his credibility as a witness.
His own crime?
On Jan. 11, Darst was arrested for breaking down a door and entering a house in Minnetrista and assaulting two men around 2 a.m. He told police he was “wasn’t comfortable with the people his wife was with there.” According to the police report, Darst struck two men.
Sounds like this star witness and undercover informant has got some issues.
Do we know if he steals wine?
Look, you’re gonna have to make a statement on it sooner or later, guys.
There is no need to steal wine.
There are some very good reds I can recommend and they’re only $8.99 per bottle.
QFC has them in stock.
@2, apparently not.
They will just continue deleting comments.
Stranger doesn’t care about integrity.
@3
Do they limit one per household? At 8.99, that’s practically a steal!
Because I’m so sure a dismissed shoplifting charge is “news”. You’re a nerd.
God, you PI blogging refugees are so moronic.
@6, where has it been reported as “dismissed”? I’ve seen it nowhere. You know that if Joel Connelly or anyone else had charges like this that they’d already be tried in a certain Stranger staffer’s mind, and it would be brought up in EVERY POST on them thereafter.
Seriously. You think this will get that certain Stranger staffer to show a little more fucking perspective or humility? Yeah, probably not.
What was his wife doing hanging out with strange men at 2am? There’s more to the story, I’m sure.
From the sound of it, “taking refuge” might make more sense than “hanging out”.
@8 exactly. ECB routinely savages other columnists – Westneat, Brodeur, Connelly, etc.
Tell us, Erica, why do you feel the rest of us should subsidize your alcohol consumption?
Tell us, Erica, why do free paper bags at the grocery store annoy you so much when apparently you don’t believe in BUYING STUFF THERE.
@7 Will we are not P-I refugees. We fully understand how pathetic ECB is.
Ah, now I see. The charges weren’t dismissed; she just cut a deal. Will we see her in orange by the side of I-5 picking up trash?
@11 – um, those aren’t columnists.
Or didn’t you notice the PI folded today?
Oh #12 I hope not. She is not a food writer, although at the Stranger everyone can review restaurants after all it’s just someones lifes work and their families survival we are taliking about. Not as important as a a good trashing in public.
@13 sort of impossible to not notice the PI given eighty posts a day on Slog, don’t you think?
They are columnists, just unemployed. Brodeur has a column in the Seattle Times today.
ERICA C BARNETT STOLE MY HEART.
Nicole has far more class than you @15.
WIS @7, This isn’t any different than the “normal” haters when ECB posts something. I don’t know if I even agree with a single opinion she holds, and yet, I’m drawn to defending her, although I stay out of the fray, since this one time, long ago.
Speaking of trials… I wonder how the hearing of a local alt-weekly news editor busted for shoplifting went? Word is she got eight hours community service and has to stay way the fuck away from QFC.