SARASOTA — The Sarasota Police Department has closed a sexual battery investigation into former RPOF Chair Christian Ziegler. However, authorities will continue to investigate a possible charge of video voyeurism.
The allegations were made by a woman that both parties acknowledged had engaged in sexual trysts with both Mr. Ziegler and his wife, Sarasota School Board member and Moms for Liberty Founder Bridget Ziegler.
Detectives came to believe that a video-recorded sexual encounter between Ziegler and the woman who accused him of sexual battery "was likely consensual," according to police spokesperson Cynthia McLaughlin in a news release.
Detectives were said to have shown the video to the woman, who told detectives "that she was unaware and did not consent" to being recorded during the Oct. 2 encounter.
Police did find probable cause for a charge of video voyeurism and said they forwarded the case to prosecutors, who will decide whether to charge Ziegler with the felony crime formally.
"Since day one, we have been confident Mr. Ziegler would be exonerated from these baseless allegations," Ziegler's attorney Derek Byrd said in a statement, adding his client "has been completely honest, forthright, and has been fully cooperating."
"While we are disappointed that the Sarasota Police Department 'punted' the decision on the remaining portion of the case to the State Attorney's office, we strongly believe that the State Attorney will not prosecute Mr. Ziegler for any crime," he added.
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Charles
When a woman who has voiced fear of the perpetrator, "was likely consensual" is inadequate as a characterization — and police ought to be aware of such dynamics. They ought to have declined to make a judgment of "likely". The entire sorrid mess should have been passed directly to the state attorney (thankfully, one statement by the attorny indicated that all will be reviewed). Hope the progress of this case is not determined by politics, the perpetrator already has admitted to secretly making the video — that seems an "unlikely" need in willing participation with a fellow threesome partner... where voyerism "likely" was an element as well as adultry and lesbianism. Let's hope the state attorney has the courage to be rational when examining a situation involving the secrecy and the fear expressed to an associate of the worman filing the complaint that also prompted the initial call. Those familiar with sexual abuse dynamics should be involved in the examination here — certianly police should have such awareness and not be motivated to make a call that is "unlikely".
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Removetheplantburglar
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