A municipal judge has dismissed an assault and battery charge filed against Paul Archie, a Marine Corps sergeant major who charged an Obama protester at Parris Island, S.C., earlier this year.
According to a news release from Triumph Business Communications, a public relations firm Archie hired to represent him, the former sergeant major of Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island and Eastern Recruiting Region has retired from the Marine Corps and has no further legal action pending.
In a June 5 altercation caught on video, Archie left his vehicle to confront Ethan Arguello, a former drill instructor who was protesting President Obama's decision to trade captive Army Sgt. Bowe Berdgahl for five Taliban members. Prior to the incident, Archie had told Arguello not to wear his campaign cover while protesting.
During the protest, Archie, who was wearing his camouflage utilities uniform, leaned so far into Arguello's face that he knocked off the drill instructor's campaign cover that Arguello was wearing. Archie then grabbed the cover, retreated with it back into his vehicle and drove off.
He turned himself in to the Port Royal (S.C.) Police Department a day later and was charged with third degree assault and battery, then released on bond, according to media reports at the time.
On June 9, Archie resigned from his Parris Island post. Marine Corps officials released a statement saying Archie had voluntarily stepped down in light of the high standards the Marine Corps holds for its leaders' personal and professional conduct.
Marine Corps officials released this statement concerning Archie's decision: "Understanding the Marine Corps has very high standards of personal and professional conduct for its most senior leaders, Sgt. Maj. Archie voluntarily stepped down as the depot sergeant major, and the commanding general regrettably accepted his retirement."
Archie, however, through his public relations firm, disputed the Marine Corps' version of events. He said the Marine Corps gave him no choice: Retire or be relieved.
Arguello told Marine Corps Times the week after the incident that he had decided not to move forward with the charges against Archie and believed they would likely be dropped.
But according to the Triumph news release, the charges were only dismissed after Archie's defense team, led by attorney Jeffrey Stephens, filed a motion to dismiss, saying the video and incident report did not support a conviction. Port Royal municipal judge Jim Grimsley granted the motion Oct. 10.
"I truly believe that all defendants are entitled to a presumption of innocence from the beginning and am very disappointed that Sgt. Maj. Archie did not receive that consideration from the Marine Corps, instead getting relieved prematurely," Stephens said in the release. "He is now vindicated."
Archie retired from the Marine Corps Sept. 30 after a 26-year career, according to the release.
