Missouri prof. slapped with assault charge after confrontation with student journalist

The assistant professor of communications confronted a student photographer and a student videographer during the protests, calling for “muscle” to help remove them from the protest area.

Steve Richey, who retires as Columbia city prosecutor next month, told The Columbia Daily Tribune (http://bit.ly/1Ky93NQ ) he has yet to decide whether to charge Melissa Click with a misdemeanor.

Schierbecker’s complaint alleged Click “assaulted M.S.by grabbing at his camera with her hand and attempting to knock it from his grasp…” A warrant was not issued for Click’s arrest, but she will be issued a summons to appear in court.

Mark Schierbecker, the student journalist behind the viral video, filed a complaint in November over the incident.

Click faces up to 15 days in jail and a $300 fine. However, she remains employed by the university.

“The fact that, as a professor teaching in the communication department and school of journalism, she displayed such a complete disregard for the First Amendment rights of reporters should be enough to question her competency and aptitude for her job”, the lawmakers wrote.

In response, a group of more than 100 Mizzou faculty wrote a letter of support for Click to the university’s leadership.

Click has not responded to an email message from a reporter seeking comment about the charge.