Deputy found guilty of assaulting Pastor while on the force

Former deputy found guilty
Updated: 4/6/2007 7:46:09 AM
By: Heather Moore
http://www.news14charlotte.com/content/top_stories/statewide_news/?ArID=136381&SecID=332

RALEIGH -- “We the jury by unanimous verdict find the defendant, Christopher David Roth, to be guilty of simple assault.”

Guilty is the verdict in the case against a former Wake County sheriff's deputy, now convicted of assaulting a preacher in the parking lot outside of an Applebee's restaurant last August. The jury came to that decision just after 6 p.m. Thursday.

It took jurors 10 hours over two days to convict Roth of simple assault. The victims in the case, Pastor Robert Wise, his wife, and their daughter, were in the courtroom when the verdict was read.

	Christopher Roth

They were obviously pleased with the verdict but did not want to comment as they were leaving the courthouse other than to thank everyone for their support and prayers.

As for Roth, he did not show a reaction when he heard the guilty verdict. He did not have a comment, but his attorney said they are disappointed.

“He was proud to be a law enforcement officer and felt strongly

	Pastor Robert Wise

he acted within his justifiable means and he's just disappointed,” said defense attorney Hart Miles.

Roth will be sentenced Monday afternoon. This is a misdemeanor assault charge, so he will likely receive probation, but not jail time.

This case isn't over. The other two former deputies involved in this incident have also been charged. They will be tried separately.

Former deputy to be sentenced
4/9/2007 7:48 AM
By: News 14 Carolina
http://www.news14charlotte.com/content/top_stories/statewide_news/?ArID=136448&SecID=332

RALEIGH -- A former Wake County sheriff’s deputy convicted last week of assault is expected to be sentenced Monday.

Christopher Roth was accused of beating a preacher in the parking lot of an Applebee's restaurant last August. He was found guilty Thursday.

Roth is expected to receive probation and no jail time in connection with the misdemeanor assault charge.

The other two former deputies involved in the incident have also been charged. They will be tried separately.

Assault trial begins for 1 of 3 deputies
Updated: 4/2/2007 11:27:52 AM
By: Kenneth Moton
http://www.news14charlotte.com/content/top_stories/statewide_news/?SecID=332&ArID=136235

	Christopher Roth

RALEIGH -- The trial will resume Tuesday for one of three former Wake County sheriff's deputies accused of beating a man in a restaurant parking lot. Christopher Roth is the first of three undercover drug investigators to be tried on misdemeanor charges after the alleged assault on August 26, 2006.

After jury selection and opening statements, the prosecution put two witnesses on the stand. It was the alleged victim's wife who had the emotional testimony of the day.

A distraught Cynthia Wise sat on the witness stand as she listened to her 911 call of what she says was a sheriff's deputy assault on her husband.

“He told us we needed to move our [obscenity] car out of the parking space,” Wise testified.

	Robert Wise

Former Wake County Sheriff's Deputy Christopher Roth is on trial for simple assault after Pastor Robert Wise says Roth and two other deputies attacked him outside a Garner Applebee’s. Authorities say a bad parking job by Cynthia Wise sparked an argument between her husband who was a passenger and Roth, an undercover, plain clothes deputy on dinner break.

Wise says Roth approached their SUV and for no reason tried to arrest her husband.

“He was determined to stay in the car because he didn't know what if they got him out,” Cynthia continued. “I was pleading, saying leave him along, my daughter was screaming.”

Roth claims he's innocent and Wise resisted arrest after he identified himself as an officer. But it's Mrs. Wise who says that identification wasn't so polite.

“I said I'm going to call the police and that's when he pulled out his badge and said ‘I am the [obscenity] police,’” Cynthia added.

Wake County District Attorney Colon Willoughby says two other former deputies also took part in the assault that day. Katie Broda and Kevin Hinton will stand trial separately. If convicted of the misdemeanor, they could all receive a suspended sentence but no jail time.

When this case resumes at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Wake County Courthouse, Robert Wise and several other witnesses are expected to take the stand.

Broda is one of those witnesses set to testify. All three deputies charged resigned shortly after the incident.

The sheriff's office has not said much about the alleged assault besides saying the deputies were not in their official capacity.