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  • 2020-10-13 (xsd:date)
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  • Was a Nurse Who Spoke at the GOP Convention Charged With Shooting a Woman? (en)
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  • In October 2020, readers asked Snopes to examine the accuracy of news reports and social media posts that claimed a West Virginia nurse who spoke at that year's Republican National Convention named Amy Thorn — also known as Amy Johnson Ford — had been charged with shooting another woman in the stomach. On Oct. 10, gun control activist Shannon Watts posted a widely-shared tweet that read: In her tweet, Watts linked to an article from WCHS, a local Charleston, West Virginia TV station, that reported: The New York Post also reported on the arrest. Those reports and descriptions were accurate. A criminal complaint provided to Snopes from Mingo County Magistrate Court shows that Amy Jolene Thorn, 39, had been arrested and charged with malicious wounding after she did shoot [another woman] with a firearm [on] Vinson St of Williamson, West Virginia, with intent to maim, disable, disfigure or kill. The criminal complaint against Thorn can be read here. Snopes is withholding the alleged victim's name due to the political associations with this case, and because she has not chosen to speak out yet. We have also redacted Thorn's home address, driver's license number, and the exact address at which the shooting allegedly took place. Thorn has been charged under Section 61-2-9(a) of the West Virginia code, which prohibits malicious or unlawful assault, a felony. Based on the complaint's allegation that she acted with intent to maim, disable, disfigure or kill — as opposed to acting unlawfully but not maliciously — Thorn could face a sentence of between two and 10 years in prison, if convicted. In an interview with WCHS, Williamson Police Chief Grady Dotson confirmed that Thorn is the same woman who praised President Donald Trump's response to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic during her speech at the Republican National Convention on Aug. 24, 2020, appearing there under the name Amy Johnson Ford. Dotson said: West Virginia Board of Registered Nurses records show an Amy Jolene Johnson has been an active, licensed registered nurse in the state since July 2003. WCHS also reported that Thorn had told police she was acting in self-defense, and that she has been released on bond. A staff member in the clerk's office at Mingo County Magistrate's Court told Snopes that Thorn had not entered a plea yet, but a preliminary hearing was scheduled for Oct. 27, 2020. (en)
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