Charges to be dropped in Republican assault

Two former candidates had confrontation after GOP meeting in Montgomery County

The Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office said Thursday the charges would be dropped today in Montgomery County District Court. Montgomery County State’s Attorney Douglas F. Gansler (D) had asked Frederick to appoint a special prosecutor to try the case to avoid any conflict of interest.

The clash can be traced back to Oct. 2, when Owen-Williams dropped out of the County Council race to make room on the Nov. 7 ballot for Abrams. Abrams lost in the Sept. 12 GOP primary for state comptroller and sought a place on the GOP ticket in the County Council at-large race.

Owen-Williams said he withdrew to keep county GOP Chairman and at-large council candidate Tom Reinheimer from stepping aside for Abrams.

Owen-Williams claimed Abrams agreed to pay him $5,000 to cover his time and campaign expenses.

Abrams lost the County Council bid in an election that saw every Republican candidate in Montgomery County defeated.

After the Nov. 13 meeting, Owen-Williams followed Abrams to ask when he would be paid. In their criminal complaints, both men accused the other of grabbing him by the throat after a heated exchange. Owen-Williams, 42, also said that Abrams made racially charged remarks by calling him ‘‘boy” and that Abrams threatened to file criminal charges if he did not forgive the campaign debt. Both men were charged with second-degree assault. Abrams, 63, also was charged with attempt to extort money through an accusation.

On Thursday, Owen-Williams said it was in the ‘‘interest of justice” for prosecutors to dismiss the charges.

‘‘Clearly the charges he filed against me were retaliatory,” Owen-Williams said. Since it was unlikely Abrams would have received any sentence other than probation if convicted, it was not worth proceeding with the case, Owen-Williams said.

‘‘Life is full of harsh realities, and one of those harsh realities is I’m probably not going to receive the money I’m owed,” he said.

Abrams said Thursday that he had not been formally notified that the case is being dismissed and would not comment until the charges are dropped. ‘‘I’ll be glad to talk then,” he said.

Owen-Williams said he regrets that a personal matter between him and Abrams has ‘‘distracted the party from the hard work it needs to do.”

Reinheimer, who witnessed the altercation, said there is nothing in the group’s bylaws or constitution to keep the two men separated at GOP meetings. Both men continue to serve on the Central Committee.

‘‘It’s up to each of them to maintain proper behavior,” Reinheimer said. ‘‘It was just unfortunate it happened in the first place.”