Charges against Neil Hagerty dropped
Prosecutors dropped all criminal charges against musician Neil Hagerty over an alleged assault of a Denver police officer after the singer-songwriter underwent a year of mental health treatment, his attorney told The Denver Post on Monday.
Hagerty, 58, best known for his work with indie-rock band Royal Trux, was arrested in April after Denver police said he fought with several officers outside an apartment building at 625 Pennsylvania St.
He was accused of ripping a badge off a Denver police officer’s uniform and then using the pin on the badge to cut the officer’s neck while trying to pull the officer’s gun from its holster, according to an affidavit filed against him. Three officers were taken to a hospital after the struggle, where they were treated and released.
Hagerty was experiencing a mental health crisis during the incident, his attorney, David Beller, said in a statement Monday.
“After a year of intense mental health treatment, Neil is finally properly diagnosed, stable and making music,” Beller said. “… He thanks the officer, judge, district attorney, family and fans for their support of him and applauds Denver for launching new programs that allow those with mental health issues to have their cases dismissed without conditions once the person is stable and maintains their care.”
Hagerty was charged with assaulting a police officer and two counts of attempting to disarm a police officer — all felonies — over the April 14 incident, which happened just after midnight. The charges against him were dismissed Wednesday, after prosecutors were satisfied with the progress he’d made in treatment, Beller said.
“Mr. Hagerty is lucky to live in Denver, a city that is leading the nation in recognizing the prosecutorial difference between criminality and mental health crises,” Beller said. “He is lucky to have private health insurance. He is lucky to have a family and fans who love and support him through his mania. And he is lucky to have encountered a peace officer who had the patience, training, skills and compassion to not reach for a gun.”
Hagerty posted an update on his fundraising page saying that he was informed Thursday that the DA had dismissed his charges. “I want to thank you all for the part you played in this outcome,” he wrote. “I’ll try writing again once this news sinks in a little bit.”
The Post could not independently verify the dismissal because the court records detailing the case have been sealed and no longer are publicly available.
Matt Jablow, a spokesman for the Denver District Attorney’s Office, responded to an inquiry from The Post about the case by saying, “No such records exist,” which is the only response allowed under state law when a court record has been sealed.
Hagerty is a founding member of the band Royal Trux, which he formed in the late 1980s with Jennifer Herrema. The band was active into the early 2000s, followed by a short-lived reunion that produced a new album in 2019. Hagerty also performed in the bands Pussy Galore, Weird War and The Howling Hex.