Youngstown cop cleared of wrongdoing during Trump visit

YOUNGSTOWN — A city police officer who was investigated after photos appeared to show him choking a person at a rally for President Donald Trump in July has been cleared of any wrongdoing.

A report by Detective Sgt. Carl Davis of the Internal Affairs Division found that officer Rob DiMaiolo, who was working security for the event, said that video evidence of the incident broken down frame by frame showed that DiMaiolo did not choke the man but grabbed him by the shirt under the throat.

The report also said five of six witnesses backed DiMaiolo’s claim he did not choke the man, who was escorted out of the rally because of a disturbance after the man pulled out a Russian flag and got into an argument with Trump supporters.

The man, Geoffery Stoner, maintained DiMaiolo did choke him. DiMaiolo said he tried to remove Stoner and was elbowed in the groin by Stoner, and afterward grabbed him by the shirt in an attempt to remove him.

DiMaiolo denied choking Stoner or being abusive toward him.