ANNALS OF DeSANTISTAN: CHRISTIAN ZIEGLER claims victim status, fights release of records from sexual assault investigation. (Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Libidinous lout Republican Party of Florida's disgraced ex-chair CHRISTIAN ZIEGLER claims crime victim status. Quo vobis videtor?  Whither Moms for Liberty, the sex-obsessed hater group founded by his spouse?  Will the feculent Florida Smirking Turkey Society (STS) shrug off the latest example of hypocrisy? Will the ZIEGLERs be featured on a tv reality show or soap opera (Call it "As the Stomach Turns.") (What do you reckon?)

Ziegler claims victim status, fights release of records from sexual assault investigation

Zac Anderson

Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Christian and Bridget Ziegler are fighting the release of information from Christian Ziegler's cell phone that was obtained by the Sarasota Police Department as part of its investigation into a sexual assault allegation against Christian Ziegler.

"We request that you take all steps necessary to ensure that no data or information from Mr. Ziegler’s cellphone is released to the public," attorney Matthew Sarelson wrote in a Jan. 30 letter to Sarasota City Attorney Robert Fournier.

Sarelson offers several arguments for why the records shouldn't be released, including that Christian Ziegler is "protected" by Marsy's Law, a 2018 amendment to the Florida Constitution to protect crime victims.

Sarasota police opted not to charge Ziegler with sexual assault after reviewing a cell phone video he took of the encounter, saying the video indicated it was "likely consensual." A related investigation into whether Ziegler committed video voyeurism has been forwarded to State Attorney Ed Brodsky to consider whether to file charges.

"The existence of the video on Mr. Ziegler’s phone clearly exonerates him of any alleged sexual assault. Thus, Mr. Ziegler himself has become the victim of a crime, as his accuser has filed a false report to law enforcement authorities — a first-degree misdemeanor," Sarelson wrote.  Sarelson's letter notes that Marsy's Law provides crime victims the “right to prevent the disclosure of information or records that could be used to locate or harass the victim or the victim’s family, or which could disclose confidential or privileged information of the victim.”

The attorney adds that "because Mr. Ziegler is a crime victim, Marsy’s law prevents the disclosure of any information from his phone which could be used to harass him or lead to the disclosure of 'confidential or personal information' regarding Mr. Ziegler, such as private messages, videos, and photographs stored on his phone."  Marsy's Law for Florida spokeswoman Jennifer Fennell said that "Just like every other case, it is up to local law enforcement or state prosecutors to determine who is or is not a victim."

The Herald-Tribune has made a series of public record requests to the Sarasota Police Department for records related to the sexual assault investigation.  Sarasota Police released additional documents Thursday with more details about the investigation, but the Herald-Tribune has been advocating for the release of more records.  The information released Thursday included police summaries of interviews, messages and Christian Ziegler's Google searches after police left his home on Nov. 1.

Christian Ziegler was accused of rape after a sexual encounter on Oct. 2 with a woman who had previously been sexually involved with both Zieglers.  Christian Ziegler said the Oct. 2 encounter was consensual. He told police he had consensual sex with the woman "approximately one dozen times since they first met" and that she had been over to his house twice for a threesome with Bridget Ziegler. The alleged victim told police Ziegler "had been sexually battering her for years, and she never felt like she could say no to him." The investigation also turned up a list on Ziegler's phone that included the alleged victim's name and the names of "several other women."

"It was titled 'THE LIST' in the phone," according to the police report.

The alleged victim's name "was listed under the sub-heading labeled (expletive)," the police report continued. The expletive used as the sub-head is used to describe sexual intercourse.