Ashley Todd, McCain Attack Scammer, Reaches Deal With Police

PITTSBURGH — A volunteer for John McCain's presidential campaign agreed Thursday to enter a probation program for first-time offenders for falsely reporting that a Barack Obama supporter robbed and assaulted her and scratched a "B" on her cheek.

Ashley Todd, 20, of College Station, Texas, claimed the attack happened when a robber saw her McCain bumper sticker. Todd appeared before a city judge and waived her right to a hearing and was to be released from jail later Thursday.

Under the agreement, her criminal record will be expunged after if she stays out of trouble and gets mental treatment on probation. Most people spend a year on probation in the program, which is for first-time, nonviolent offenders.

"Our focus was really, 'This is somebody who appeared to have some mental issues,'" said prosecutor Chris Avetta. "And we wanted to make sure she doesn't hurt herself or anybody else."

Todd's public defender, Emily McNally, declined to comment.

Todd initially told investigators she was attempting to use a bank ATM on Oct. 22 when a 6-foot-4 black man approached her from behind, put a knife to her throat and demanded money. She told police she handed the assailant $60 and walked away.

Todd, who is white, told investigators she suspected the man then noticed a McCain sticker on her car. She said the man punched her in the back of the head, knocked her to the ground and scratched a backward letter "B" into her face with a dull knife.

After admitting she made up the story, the woman told investigators she believed she cut the "B" onto her own cheek but didn't remember doing so, police said last week.

She was charged with a misdemeanor count of making a false police report and had been jailed since Oct. 24. She underwent a court-ordered psychiatric examination and was deemed to be competent to stand trial but in need of further counseling.

The charge Todd faced carries a maximum two-year jail sentence. Assistant Police Chief Maurita Bryant said Todd must abide by the conditions of her release or risk being prosecuted on the charge.

"I think what she needed mostly was counseling," Bryant said. "The only one she actually hurt was herself, although there could have been so many other ramifications based on her actions."

The case generated national media attention when a picture showing Todd with a black eye and the red "B" on her cheek was posted online.

Initial reports of the mugging prompted calls of support from McCain, the Republican presidential nominee, and his running mate, Sarah Palin. The College Republican National Committee at first criticized the attack, then fired and disowned Todd once the hoax was exposed.

Comments

[DrDemon]

-- > D*I*N*G*L*E*B*E*R*R*Y !

[InspiredbyObama]

Unbelievable!

[SilentShout]

I wonder who the real "B" in her life is.

[imsosure]

My friends, I have been compelled to say my freiinds that Johnny in his present,

[deadelephant2]

The tragedy in this is that such an action in the past--and possibly still today--might have resulted in some black man in the South being lynched. Her sick actions are the moral equivalent of exactly that same thing. This is a VERY disturbed young woman.

[oiba]

One less vote for McCain. Ain't that sad.

[DarthVector]

Best wishes to her, and I hope she heals as swiftly as her condition allows. May she put this behind her and have a productive and healthy future.

I worry that she was disowned so quickly by the GOP, who previously licked their chops when she seemed so useful.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/24/ashley-todd-college-repub_n_137639.html

There is no sense of care, from them, for a young person battling her inner demons. No expression of "Get well, soon, and we're praying for your recovery." Just a sense of bitterness at a perceived betrayal.

Truly, the GOP world view is: "You're on your own." Especially, it seems, if you have mental health problems, and cause them an embarrassment.

[hmccloud]

Looks like a dude to me. Pasty, underactive republican dude.

[chronic]

Definitely, a karl rove type.

[reallymolly]

Oh, no. You may be on to something with that.

[joecat]

Funny, she looks so much more like a Democrat.... I wonder if she is a fraud? Most Republican women are hot.

[RockySoldier]

...and sexually frustrated, angry, bitter, traditional, and frigid because their husbands are pedophiles or closeted homosexuals.

[1success]

God, what a useless, ignorant, waste of space comment this is!

I get so sick and tired of gay people being lumped into the same cubby hole as pedophiles.

Grow a brain and get a small clue, would you????

Actually this woman looks like she might be intellectually challanged and have downs sydrome, much like your self RockySoldier

[Heru1]

she's a typical igno rant pasty face republican

[Querent]

Yeah, she is a fraud. That's kind of the point of this whole thing. And now we know why you're a Republican.

[alteregoess]

Geraldine Ferraro was a much hotter VP candidate than Palin ever could be. Not only was she gorgeous, she was actually well-informed.

[DirkNLExpat]

American woman are crap, either Dem or Repub. Maybe they look hot on the outside but inside they are empty, simpleminded idiots.

American woman, get away from me............remember the tune? Nothing has changed. Still warmongering filth.

[shaaronie]

This young lady is not getting a slap on the wrist. Her name, face and deed are all over the internet. She will forever be known as the "crazy girl"! Thank goodness for the internet.

[strandwolf]

She wasn't exactly a volunteer. She was a paid employee of the College Republicans: $3600 for August through October. Not big bucks, but she was on the payroll. I think she acted on her own in this haywire, dangerous stunt, but the responsibility for the atmosphere that engendered her going way over the line lies squarely with the Republican Party hierarchy.

[plaidlemur]

Filing a false police report citing a felony should be a felony. If she had simply reported that someone was spray painting a wall, and no one was, that's one thing, but she claimed she was beaten, sexually assaulted, and mutilated. What if the cops hadn't figured it out, and some guy got charged for it? How long would he have spent in jail? 5 years? 10?

[aes5678]

I like her Sarah Palin glasses.

[chronic]

Yeh, they enable you to see things hundreds and thousands of miles away.

[abbeyroad]

DASChicago is SO RIGHT !!!

if she was black, there is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY she would have gotten the deal they gave todd !

[BrownInk]

Definitely agree. People of color are convicted of lesser violations and are given harsher sentences.

[reasonableprogressive]

That may be true in some jurisdictions, but I am a community prosecutor in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We have an extended diversion/deferred prosecution program. This woman clearly has mental health issues, and is similarly situated to many people (white, black, Latino, or whatever) that my office gives a break every day.

However, I can only speak for my own fantastic office.;)

[MDThom]

What happened to her black eye? Did it heal that quick?

[chronic]

It was reported to be mascara.