Cleveland Radio: Rover Requesting Charges Be Dismissed

Shane 'Rover' Fremch

Lawyers for Shane "Rover" French and his sidekick Michael "Chocolate Charlie" Toomey are asking a judge to dismiss assault and other charges against the WMMS 100.7 FM radio personalities alleging that Cleveland police destroyed evidence in the case, according to cleveland.com.

French, 38, host of 'Rover's Morning Glory" and Toomey, 29, were indicted in October on charges including assault, criminal damaging, resisting arrest, including panic related to an early morning July 5th altercation with an off-duty Cleveland police officer over fireworks.

Both pleaded not guilty to the charges, which on air French called "absolutely absurd, ridiculous and not based in fact whatsoever."

Officer Steven Kinas reported that he was on his boat at a Whiskey Island marina when a drunken French shot fireworks in his direction – nearly hitting him at one point. The officer said he confronted French, who then shoved the officer. Other Cleveland officers later arrested French that morning.

An audiotaped statement from Kinas was deleted and replaced with a second statement that is riddled with inconsistencies when compared with police incident and use of force reports, according to a 20-page motion filed Friday by attorneys Larry Zukerman and S. Michael Lear.

Spokespersons for the Cleveland police and Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's office could not be immediately reached for comment on the court filing.

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