The criminal case against a man arrested for clapping at a Tarrant County Commissioners Court meeting has been dropped.
Charles Hermes was arrested on Jan. 28 when he clapped for a speaker, after County Judge Tim O’Hare warned him not to clap. He fell to the floor as sheriff’s deputies moved in on him, and they carried him out by his wrists and ankles.
Hermes was charged with hindering proceedings by disorderly conduct, a high-level misdemeanor that can be punished with up to a year in jail and a $4,000 fine. The case was dismissed in July, but Hermes’ attorney, Mark Streiff, said in an interview Thursday he’s still concerned about free speech at county meetings…