DUCHESNE — The elected Duchesne County recorder has accepted a plea deal to resolve an assault case filed against her by Uintah County prosecutors.
Shelley Nicole Brennan entered a no-contest plea Tuesday in Duchesne County Justice Court to a reduced charge of disorderly conduct, a class C misdemeanor. Brennan, 42, had initially been charged with assault, a class B misdemeanor.
The charge stemmed from an Aug. 31 incident that was recorded by four surveillance cameras inside the Duchesne County administration building and documented in a Duchesne County sheriff's report.
County officials have declined to release the videos, citing their classification as protected records under Utah law; however, they granted a Deseret News request in November to view the videos. The sheriff's office also released a portion of its report in response to a public records request.
In the video, which also recorded audio for much of the incident, Kellie Kinghorn becomes upset when a deputy recorder tells her to leave the recorder's office if she's going to talk on her cellphone. Cellphone use in the office has been restricted to help reduce noise and distractions, according to employees.
"This is a public office," Kinghorn tells a deputy recorder. "You guys don't own this (expletive), in case nobody's told you that.
"You want to want to play this (expletive) game, we're going to play this game. I've put up with your harassment long enough," shouts Kinghorn, who worked for a title company at the time and was in the recorder's office routinely to research property records.
Over the next several minutes, Kinghorn continues to yell at employees in the recorder's office, leaving twice to seek assistance from workers in other county offices.
"I've had enough of it. It's called harassment, hostile working environment and this is a public (expletive) office," Kinghorn shouts at one point in the video. "We pay your wages."
Kinghorn is still yelling when Brennan returns to the office and tells her she needs to leave due to her behavior.
"I am not getting out of your office," Kinghorn responds. "You don't own this (expletive) place, Shelley."
Kinghorn walks out after Brennan calls the sheriff's office for help. Before deputies arrive, though, the two woman encounter each other in a part of the county building's west hallway that is not covered by cameras.
When they reappear on the video, Brennan is seen pushing Kinghorn backward across the width of the hallway before pinning her against the wall. Brennan's hands are in the area of Kinghorn's shoulders and neck.
Kinghorn later told a deputy Brennan "started choking her hard enough to where (she) was having a hard time breathing," according to the sheriff's report, and a deputy reported seeing "redness on the left side of Kellie's neck."
Kinghorn said she hit Brennan in self-defense, the report states.
Brennan told investigators she didn't get along with Kinghorn, "but tries to be cordial to with her," a deputy wrote. When Brennan called for deputies and Kinghorn left her office, Brennan said she went into the hallway, where Kinghorn turned around and started walking toward her "yelling and screaming and pointing her finger."
Brennan told deputies she told Kinghorn to stop pointing at her, then grabbed Kinghorn's hand and pushed her back "because (Kinghorn) had gotten into her face," the report states.
Duchesne County Clerk-Auditor JoAnn Evans, who separated the two women before deputies arrived, told investigators Brennan and Kinghorn were "toe to toe" at one point, with Kinghorn waving her finger in Brennan's face. Evans described Brennan's reaction, telling deputies she didn't think Brennan was "trying to strangle" Kinghorn, but was "trying to push her back."
The Uintah County Attorney's Office agreed to handle the case to avoid any potential conflict of interest. As part of their plea agreement with Brennan, the case against her will be dismissed if she pays $300 to the court and does not break the law in the next 12 months. The plea does not affect her position as an elected official.
Kinghorn, 54, entered a not guilty plea to disorderly conduct, a class C misdemeanor, during a court appearance in November. A status hearing in her case is set for Jan. 26.
Email: gliesik@deseretnews.com
Twitter: GeoffLiesik