The Maricopa County Attorney's Office tells New Times that the Colorado woman arrested for giving a Transportation Safety Administration agent a titty-twister last week will not be charged with a felony. But she's not completely off the hook -- she may still face misdemeanor charges.
According to MCAO spokesman Jerry Cobb, prosecutors bailed on the case because "the facts don't rise to the
level of a felony."
Last week, about 3:30 p.m. Thursday, 61-year-old Yukari Miyamae grabbed the breast of a TSA employee after refusing a security screening in checkpoint D at Sky Harbor International Airport's terminal four.
According to Phoenix Sergeant Steve Martos, Miyamae became argumentative after refusing the screening. Then, according to court documents obtained by New Times, she grabbed, squeezed, and twisted the agent's breast.
After getting arrested, Miyamae continued to be argumentative, but admitted to grabbing the agent's breast.
Miyamae's was booked into Maricopa County Jail on one count of sexual abuse.
Since her arrest, however, people all over the country have been showing
their support of Miyamae's turning the tables on the grab-happy TSA.
Yesterday, we reported that a Facebook page titled "Acquit Yukari Mihamae" (court docs have the
woman's name spelled "Miyamae") has been created with the goal of
bringing awareness to her case and hopefully raise money to fund her
legal defense.
As of this writing, the page has 3,141 "fans."
In contrast, another page has emerged titled "Convict Yukari Mihamae." That page as a total of 19 "fans."
Find links to both pages here.
On the "Acquit" page, fans have dubbed Miyamae as "the 21st century Rosa Parks."
Other "fans" went a different direction.
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Cobb tells New Times the case has been referred to the Phoenix
Municipal Court, where misdemeanor charges may be filed.
