Charges dropped against dad accused of point an AK-47 at teen daughter; daughter refused to testify (St. Paul, Minnesota)

Once again, Daddy gets away with terrorizing his family...because, frankly, the victims are afraid of testifying. And why wouldn't they be? This guy is excused because he is a priest, blah blah. An outrage.

Dad is identified as KIRIL BARTASHEVITCH.

http://www.twincities.com/crime/ci_26017046/charges-dropped-against-st-paul-dad-who-aimed?source=rss

Charges dropped against St. Paul dad who allegedly aimed gun at daughter

By Richard Chin

Posted: 06/23/2014 12:01:00 AM CDT
Updated: 06/23/2014 08:50:15 PM CDT

Charges were dismissed Monday against a St. Paul man who had been accused of pointing an AK-47 rifle at his teenage daughter in a dispute over her grades. The victims refused to cooperate with prosecutors, according to the Ramsey County attorney's office.

Kirill Bartashevitch, 53, had been charged in January 2013 with two counts of terroristic threats after he allegedly threatened his daughter, who was 15 at the time, and the girl's mother.

According to a criminal complaint, the girl told a social worker that she and her father were arguing Jan. 13, 2013, at the family's home on the 1700 block of Englewood Avenue because she had gotten two B's instead of straight A's in school.

After the girl swore at her father and said she "hated" him, Bartashevitch grabbed his new AK-47 and pointed it at the girl, the complaint said. The girl said her mother jumped between them while Bartashevitch was pointing the gun, the complaint said. A Ramsey County child protection worker interviewed the teen's mother, who verified the girl's account, and the mother, now 54, added that Bartashevitch had also pushed her to the floor, the complaint said.

The child protection worker also interviewed Bartashevitch, who said that he was involved in a physical confrontation with his wife and daughter and that he pointed the rifle at his wife and daughter, but that the gun was not loaded and he had checked the chamber before he pointed it at them, the complaint said.

Dennis Gerhardstein, spokesman for the Ramsey County attorney's office, said the mother and daughter are now unwilling to testify against Bartashevitch. According to a statement from Gerhardstein, "There was insufficient evidence to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt. In this particular instance, the victims refused to cooperate, thus making it virtually impossible to prove a terroristic threats case."

After Bartashevitch's arrest, supporters wrote to Ramsey County District Judge Lezlie Ott Marek, saying that Bartashevitch is a highly respected Russian Orthodox priest and that the charges were exaggerated or without merit.

"It's a situation, in my opinion, that got blown out of proportion," said Earl Gray, Bartashevitch's lawyer.

In addition to being a priest, Bartashevitch worked for Minneapolis Public Schools beginning in 2000. He was an IT support assistant at Sheridan Elementary School and Emerson Spanish Immersion Learning Center, but he was placed on an unpaid leave of absence on the day he was charged.

Bartashevitch was convicted of disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor, in 2000 and put on probation for one year, court records show. His wife was listed at the victim.

Bartashevitch could not be reached for comment Monday.