PORTSMOUTH, Va. — A magistrate denied warrants against a Portsmouth city council member who was arrested for domestic assault and battery, according to police.
On Tuesday morning, police said they were called to a domestic dispute after witness reported a young girl wearing a backpack was screaming while being dragged and forced into a car by Councilman De'Andre Barnes.
According to an incident report obtained by News 3, Barnes later told officers that the girl was a relative and that she was trying to take an iPad to school and he went to the bus stop to get it back.
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The report says when Barnes tried to get the iPad back, the young relative went limp, falling to the ground. So he picked her up to get in the car.
When police arrived on scene, the girl told police that "even though she felt her hair being pulled, she did not think it was intentional or deliberate," according to the incident report.
Police said they ended up arresting Barnes for domestic assault.
Following his arrest, police say they handed over evidence to the magistrate to get an arrest warrant. Barnes was later released after the on-duty magistrate found there to be no probable cause, but did not elaborate.
Chief Magistrate Mandy Owens told News 3's Jay Greene she is not able to comment on any case, but forwarded contact information and a request for comment to her superiors.
Barnes did not appear at Tuesday night's city council meeting.
The incident comes fresh off an election cycle in which Barnes was hoping to retain his seat on city council. He was not reelected.
Barnes could not be reached for comment Wednesday night.
