The recently elected Governor of San Andreas, Ella Bright-Starr, has been arrested on six charges: four felonies and two misdemeanors. This is the first time in our State’s history that a member of the Executive has been arrested on felony charges, though it should be noted that Governor Bright-Starr pleaded not guilty to all charges, has been released on bail, and the docket is currently pending Judicial Assignment.
So, what charges is the Governor facing? According to the court docket, Ella Bright-Starr has been charged with the following:
- Two counts of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon (Felony)
- Two counts of Aggravated False Imprisonment (Felony)
- Two counts of Uttering Threats (Misdemeanor)
These are hefty charges for what was, according to the docket, a very serious situation. There are some varying accounts on what exactly happened, so we’ll do our best to include each perspective (from what’s on the court docket). So, here’s the rundown:
The situation happened on June 30th, 2024 at Governor Ella Bright-Starr’s personal home in Vinewood Hills (not the government provided Governor’s Mansion). Chief Justice Kylian J. Clarkson and Associate Justice Doc Hilliard claim that, while visiting a friend, they passed by Governor Bright-Starr’s home with the intent of leaving a letter.
Governor Bright-Starr claims that, due to the fact that her mailbox had been recently vandalized, she was positioned on the balcony of her home (accompanied by State Representative Emilie Lillegard-Marino) to keep watch over her property. All parties agree that once Bright-Starr witnessed Hilliard and Clarkson arrive at the mailbox, Bright-Starr (and Lillegard-Marino) leapt down from the second story, and pointed her personal firearm at the two Justices.
Here is where the accounts differ; each is laid out in the court docket, with statements from Hilliard, Bright-Starr, and Detective Zack Sanchez.
Just three days later on July 3rd, 2024, following discussions with Law Enforcement Command, MCD Detectives carried out an arrest warrant on Governor Ella Bright-Starr, arresting her at her home before processing her at Mission Row Police Department. She pleaded not guilty to all charges, and was released on bail in the amount of $6,400. Her firearms license was also reportedly revoked as a result of this arrest.
So, the charges – What exactly do they mean? We’ll start from the top.
1. Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon
“The threat of force against another individual or a group of individuals that involves the use of a deadly weapon without legal justification or excuse. A deadly weapon, defined as a tool that can easily and readily replicate death, must be present even though it is not actively applied or fired during the commission of the crime for this charge to be applied. The deadly weapon must be shown or displayed as a threat of force, or otherwise used to force others into doing the suspect’s will against the individual’s own wishes.“
Aggravated circumstances: (i) The victim was an on-duty LEO or a government official.
This charge typically carries 30 months in prison, and a $2,500 fine. With two counts, that’s 60 months in prison, and a $5,000 fine
2. Aggravated False Imprisonment
“The restriction of another person’s movement within any area without justification or lawful detainment.“
Aggravated circumstances: (i) The victim was an on-duty LEO, a government official, or a deadly weapon was used.
This charge typically carries 20 months in prison, and a $500 fine. With two counts, that’s 40 months in prison, and a $1,000 fine.
3. Uttering Threats
Knowingly uttering, conveying or causing a person to receive a threat of: Death or Bodily Harm and/or Destruction of personal property.
This charge typically carries 10 months in prison, and a $200 fine. With two counts, that’s 20 months in prison, and a $400 fine.
So, all-together, that totals 120 months in prison, and a $6,400 fine – If she’s found guilty of all charges, that is. But that’s not even considering the most substantial aspect of this case: Removal from office. In Article II, Section I, Subsection II, eligibility to serve as Governor of San Andreas is as follows:
- At least 18 years of age;
- Citizen for at least one month; and
- No Felony convictions within the past three months.
Should Governor Bright-Starr be convicted of even just one of the four felony charges she’s facing in this indictment, she would then be ineligible to serve as Governor, and could face removal from office. It would serve as the first time a sitting Governor has been removed from office during their term.
However, this is completely unprecedented in our State’s history – There is no solidified process to follow should Bright-Starr be convicted of a felony, and therefore no longer be eligible to be Governor. It’s currently unknown if the Legislature would need to impeach her upon her conviction, or if the Lt. Governor would immediately take Bright-Starr’s place as sitting Governor.
Shout News will provide more updates as this historic story unfolds.
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