By Andy Furillo
afurillo@sacbee.com
The Sacramento district attorney will file a misdemeanor charge of brandishing a weapon Thursday against a Sacramento police officer arrested last year and booked on suspicion of kidnapping and other felonies in a domestic dispute with his girlfriend, The Bee learned today.
Officer Bryan David Weinrich (photo left) is expected to turn himself in and be arraigned Thursday afternoon in Sacramento Superior Court, his lawyer said.
"It was investigated as a felony assault and kidnapping and the District Attorney's Office's decision was that there was no kidnapping and there was no felony assault," Weinrich's attorney Tom Johnson said. "We also firmly believe there was never a brandishing of a weapon.
"We don't think any charges should have been filed," Johnson said. "He didn't do anything criminal."
Sacramento district attorney's officials declined to comment.
Weinrich, 24, has been on paid administrative leave since his Nov. 20 arrest.
Sacramento police spokesman Officer Konrad von Schoech said the department still is conducting its internal investigation. Von Schoech deferred comment on the DA's decision to the prosecutor's office and the Galt Police Department, which made the arrest on the officer.
Galt police spokesman Lt. Brian Vizzusi said officials from his agency have been informed by the DA's office about the decision to pursue the misdemeanor case and that they agree with it.
Weinrich had initially been booked for four felonies - domestic violence, brandishing a firearm, kidnapping and false imprisonment.
His girlfriend with whom he cohabitated told police he pushed her down and brandished the weapon two days before the arrest, Galt police said. Investigators said then that she was injured but that she didn't need medical help.
The kidnapping and false imprisonment allegation apparently stem from the alleged victim's statement to police that Weinrich physically restrained her from getting out of a car. He eventually let her go, police said.
Call The Bee's Andy Furillo, (916) 321-1141.
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