A senior Google employee who allegedly assaulted a pro-life activist countersued him for $5 million.
Twenty-eight-year-old engineer Michael Gribbin said he was chalking pro-life messages on the sidewalk near a Washington, D.C., Planned Parenthood on Aug. 31, 2019, when Quinn Chasan (pictured), the head of customer analytics for Google Cloud physically assaulted him.
Video footage of the incident posted to YouTube by Gribbin allegedly shows Gribbin following Chasan and demanding that Chasan give his chalk back. The footage then shows Chasan throw the chalk, walk to his bike and unlock it, and Gribbin grab the bike and say he will not allow Chasan to leave until police arrive. Chasan then punches Gribbin and pushes him to the ground, according to Gribbin.
A September 2019 police report obtained by the Daily Caller says that the victim called for police assistance “after he was punched and pushed by S-1 [suspect] after a heated argument turned physical in the 400 block of M street,” and that “N.E. M.P.D Officers arrived on scene where V-1 flagged Officers down to give his account of events.”
An MPD spokesperson told the Daily Caller at the time that no further information was available and that the case remained under investigation.
MPD told the Daily Caller News Foundation Tuesday that the “United States Attorney’s Office declined to prosecute in this case.”
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When prosecutors did not press charges against Chasan, Gribbin filed a civil lawsuit against him.
Chasen has responded to Gribbin’s lawsuit by counter suing Gribbin for $5 million, according to Gribbin’s representation. In a counter claim dated Feb. 7, Chasan accused Gribbin of battery, intentional negligent infliction of emotional distress, libel and slander, and of committing a hate crime against him based on “perceived religion and political affiliation.”
“I don’t have 5 mil [million] on me right now so I hope we get a fair jury,” Gribbin told the DCNF.
The claim alleges that Gribbin “brashly yelled, mocked, cursed & threatened to physically assault” Chasan after the Google employee used a sponge to wipe out Gribbin’s chalk messages.
The claim says that Gribbin followed Chasan home, “mocking, cursing and threatening to physically assault” Chasan, and proceed to grab and kick Chasan’s bike, prevent Chasan from leaving, and began “kicking, punching and wrestling” with Chasan. The Google employee also alleges that Gribbin bit him on the shoulder and calf, bites that required medical attention and left a scar. Chasan also accuses of Gribbin of lying about the encounter in media appearances, as well as posting edited videos.
“As a direct and proximate result of Counter-Defendant Gribbin’s deliberate actual hate intent, Counter-Plaintiff Chasan suffered severe and extreme pain, emotional distress, and mental anguish as a result of the battery, causing actual, consequential, and incidental damages,” the claim says.
“Getting attacked was bad,” Gribbins told the DCNF. “Having to pay $5 million to get attacked would be somewhat worse. Luckily, most of Quinn Chasan’s claims are completely fabricated, and we will be able prove it.”
Gribbin’s lawyer, John R. Garza, told the DCNF that they believe the counter complaint has “no merit.”
“This is absurd,” Washington, D.C. 40 Days for Life campaign coordinator Michael New said in a statement provided to the DCNF. New also is a visiting associate professor at the Catholic University of America.
“Michael Gribbin is a victim, not an assailant. There is no way his actions after before, during, or after the assault caused Chasan $5 million in damages. Furthermore, any negative consequences incurred by Chasan are the direct result of his own misconduct. It is my hope that the judge dismisses Chasan’s countersuit as frivolous,” New said.
“Once again, I want to reiterate the fact I hope Michael Gribbin’s civil lawsuit is successful,” New added.
“Pro-life activists are not targets. No one should have to fear physical violence for espousing pro-life views in public. A ruling in Gribbin’s favor will make it clear that individuals who harm peaceful pro-life activists will be punished.”
Chasan’s lawyer did not respond to repeated requests for comment. Planned Parenthood and Google also did not return requests for comment.
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LifeNews Note: Mary Margaret Olohan writes for Daily Caller. Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience.
