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Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot dropped felony criminal mischief charges against L'Daijohnique Lee, the woman allegedly assaulted by a Deep Ellum bartender in an incident caught on video nearly two weeks ago. Dallas police issued a warrant for Lee's arrest Tuesday based on her admission that she broke the window of her alleged attacker's truck. The warrant was recalled Wednesday, according to the district attorney's office.
Lee and Austin Shuffield got into a shouting match after Lee blocked Shuffield's truck in an Elm Street parking lot near the bar where Shuffield formerly worked. In the video, Shuffield apparently brandishes a pistol. Lee then tries to call 911, and Shuffield slaps her phone out of her hand, causing Lee to hit Shuffield. After Lee hits him, Shuffield can be seen on the video punching Lee five times. Officers initially charged Shuffield with interfering with an emergency call and misdemeanor assault.
Last week, police issued an additional charge against the bartender for carrying a gun without a permit and referred an upgraded aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge to the Dallas County District Attorney's Office.
After the alleged assault, Lee broke the back window out of the truck, according to police.
"She did admit to (breaking the window) on three different occasions during that night," Dallas Police Department Deputy Chief Thomas Castro said Tuesday.
On Tuesday, Lee's attorney Lee Merritt accused DPD of targeting his client. Wednesday, he praised Creuzot for his decision.
Charges against Dai Lee have been dropped. Thank you @dallas_da pic.twitter.com/6X5FB9tr8Y
— S. Lee Merritt, Esq. (@MeritLaw) April 3, 2019
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