County controller pleads not guilty in Detroit
Allegheny County Controller Chelsa Wagner and her husband were arraigned Monday on criminal charges connected to a March 6 altercation with Detroit police in a hotel there.
Ms. Wagner, 41, and her husband, Khari Mosley, 42, both pleaded not guilty and received $5,000 personal bonds, according to court records for the 36th District Court in Wayne County. Their attorney, Tom Fitzpatrick, said the personal bonds mean the pair did not have to post any money to be released.
Ms. Wagner’s travel to Pennsylvania was not restricted, according to the records, which noted that she and Mr. Mosley “stood mute” during their appearances. Mr. Mosley was instructed not to drink alcohol as a condition of his release.
Ms. Wagner is charged with two felony counts of resisting and obstructing the police and one count of disorderly conduct. Mr. Mosley is charged with one count each of disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace, both misdemeanors.
The Wayne County prosecutor’s office brought the charges against the couple after police officers were called to the Westin Book Cadillac hotel for a report of a disorderly person, Mr. Mosley, who prosecutors said became irate when hotel staff would not allow him to return to his room, which was registered in Ms. Wagner’s name. Mr. Mosley had forgotten his room key and Ms. Wagner, who was in the room, did not answer phone calls from the front desk.
Police escorted Mr. Mosley to the couple’s room and left. But in the hallway, they heard a noise and shouting and returned to investigate, the release said.
They told Ms. Wagner that her husband had to leave the hotel.
“When an officer tried to remove Mr. Mosley, Ms. Wagner prevented the officer from taking action. It is alleged that she put her arm on him, and when he moved her arm to get into the room, she pushed his hand away,” the prosecuting attorney’s office said in a statement.
They said Ms. Wagner blocked an elevator door and refused to move despite several commands from police officers, who eventually took
her to the ground, handcuffed and arrested her.
Ms. Wagner has denied that account and said police were unreasonable. She’s also said she was roughly thrown to the ground without cause.
Mr. Fitzpatrick said Monday that Ms. Wagner and Mr. Mosley are “going to go through the process, and that’s what they’re doing.”
Mr. Fitzpatrick told the Detroit News on Monday that Ms. Wagner and Mr. Mosley plan to file a lawsuit against the Detroit police department and the hotel. He said the criminal charges in the case were filed only after he alerted Wayne County prosecutors to his intent to sue.