Montana Man Who Attacked Boy Over National Anthem Was Following Trump Rhetoric, Lawyer Says

Curt Brockway's lawyer thinks the 39-year-old man was acting on what he believed were the president's orders.

August 8, 2019

The man who fractured a boy's skull for wearing a hat during the National Anthem said that he was doing so on the orders of Donald Trump.

39-year-old Curt Brockway of Superior, Montana slammed a 13-year-old boy to the ground at the Mineral County Fairgrounds on August 3. His lawyer revealed that Brockway believed he was directed to carry out the assault by Trump.

"His commander in chief is telling people that if they kneel, they should be fired, or if they burn a flag, they should be punished," Attorney Lance Jasper told the Missoulian. "He certainly didn't understand it was a crime."

The young boy was assaulted by Brockway after he reportedly asked the teen to remove his hat during the playing of the National Anthem. Brockway told police that the boy told him where to go, at which point he grabbed him by the neck and slammed him to the ground. He was flown to Spokane for treatment of his fractured skull and has since been released.

Brockway was charged with felony assault of a minor. Jasper revealed he plans to defend Brockway by claiming that the president's violent rhetoric and a traumatic brain injury suffered by Brockway came together to lead to the unfortunate incident.

"Obviously he (Brockway) owes a big portion of accountability for what took place, but it's certain that there was other things at work here that definitely contributed," he said. "Trump never necessarily says go hurt somebody, but the message is absolutely clear...I am certain of the fact that (Brockway) was doing what he believed he was told to do, essentially, by the president."