Press  Release

 

 

For release: Immediate

For more information contact: James Reams: 642-4249                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               April 13, 2007

 

 

Shooting Charges Dropped

 

Brentwood -  County Attorney Jim Reams and Windham Chief Gerald Lewis announced today that the Simple Assault charge filed against Frank Meisel (DOB5/9/64) of 22 Cluff Road, Salem has been dropped.  The results of an intensive investigation by the Windham Police Department, assisted by the NH State Police, demonstrate that Mr. Meisel shot his step brother David E. Richardson in self defense.  At approximately 10 AM, Richardson, who was intoxicated, had come to the auto body shop and gotten into a fight with Meisel and ultimately the Windham Police responded. Neither of the brothers suffered major injuries in the fight and did not want to press charges against each other. 

 

Mr. Richardson, later in the morning, made threats to harm Meisel and drove to the auto body shop carrying a large club.  Richardson was swinging the club at the head of Meisel when Meisel fired a single shot from a .38 revolver to protect himself.  There was another witness at the auto body shop that saw both fights and corroborates the details in all respects.  "The victim is now refusing to release medical records or cooperate with the investigation any further,” said Chief Lewis.

 

"As the details began to emerge from the interviews, the Windham Police Department and the NH State Police worked tirelessly to reach the truth of the shooting and the preliminary conclusion was that the evidence and the witnesses corroborate that Meisel acted in self defense. However, given the refusal of the victim to cooperate, we can not justify putting further resources into this case", said Reams.