A debate over medical marijuana turned ugly in the Red Bluff City Council Chambers Tuesday Night.
one of the city council members is facing battery charges after a debate over medical marijuana got a little out of hand.
"he was coming forward and poking me in the chest. I said I can't believe you're belittling me and poking me in the chest, you're a council member you can't act like this," explains Ken Prather who runs a Medical Marijuana Shop.
It all happened during a break from the Red Bluff City Council meeting at which the council later banned medical marijuana collectives and cultivation.
83-year-old council member James Byrne was arrested for allegedly poking medical marijuana shop operator Ken Prather during the argument. But the arrest wasn't made by police, it was a citizens' arrest made by Prather.
"Mr. Prather requested to place Mr. Byrne under citizens' arrest for battery, a citizen has a right to do that, we accepted the citizens' arrest and issued Mr. Byrne a citation for battery, misdemeanor battery based on the allegation made by Mr. Prather," says Red Bluff Police Chief Paul Nanfito.
Chief Nanfito says making a citizens, arrest is a right everyone has. "The simple way to explain it, if I were to hit you and you then contacted the police department, they would take your statement and you would have the right to place me under citizens' arrest and that is essentially what occurred last night."
While an angry poke might not seem very serious, Prather says he felt very threatened and he is hoping the incident won't go unpunished. "I think mr. byrne should be removed from the city council, I think he should take anger management."
We called Councilman Byrne but he refused to comment. It's now up to the District Attorney's Office to decide whether or not to go forward with the charges.
