Charges Dismissed In Eminem April Fool's Prank Case

  • Monday, December 8, 2003

Disorderly conduct charges against a 98.1 KissFM disc jockey who took part in an April Fool's prank involving rapper Eminem have been dismissed in Criminal Court.

The state chose not to go forward with the case that had been assigned to the courtroom of Judge Doug Meyer.

Shannon Brimmer (known on-air as Troy Shannon) had been found guilty of disorderly conduct in General Sessions Court in May. The station appealed.

General Sessions Court Judge Mike Carter had given Brimmer a 30-day suspended sentence and directed that he do 10 days of public works.

Charges against a station technician and DJ, Thompson Riddle (known on-air as Riggs) were dismissed by Judge Carter, who said he was just at the scene carrying some equipment.

Attorney Arvin Reingold had hit the decision of Judge Carter, calling it "a clear violation of the constitutional right to free speech."

Attorney Reingold said the proof in the case "did not rise to disorderly conduct. He said there was congestion, but no disorder during the afternoon incident at the Big Lots parking lot in Brainerd.

Some 500 people showed up hoping to see the well-known rapper. Instead, the station planned to have a character in an M&M outfit throwing out candy and prizes.

At the earlier hearing, the state called three witnesses, including Officer William R. Engle, who said he came upon the congested scene just off Brainerd Road.

He said he heard some oral threats made against the station personnel by persons upset that the real Eminem was not there to put on a show.

A civilian police worker, Crystal Ward, said she heard promotions for the event, but she said her friends told her it was a prank.

A woman who also heard about it on the radio said she went out hoping to see the real Eminem, then found it was a joke.


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