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Indianapolis Star
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Indianapolis Star
Police won't file charges against Indy Councilor Nick Roberts after sexual assault accusation
Fishers police have decided not to file charges against Indianapolis City-County Councilor Nick Roberts after a younger woman accused him of sexual assault. An 18-year-old woman alleged that Roberts, 24, groped her during a kiss while she tried to push him away during a July 12 date in downtown Fishers, she told IndyStar in an interview after the allegations were made public by Mirror Indy. Roberts has admitted that he kissed her but denied her account of the events, insisting he did "absolutely nothing wrong." The case was closed the morning of July 30 and Roberts faces no charges, said Angela Adle, a records manager for the Fishers Police Department. IndyStar has filed a public records request for the department's full report on the alleged incident but has not yet received the documents. Roberts, a Democrat representing northeast Marion County who took office in January 2024, said he fully cooperated with the police investigation and is pleased with the outcome. "As I had expected and hoped, the Fishers Police Department, because of their thorough investigation and after looking at all the evidence and facts, have closed the case against me and are not pressing charges," Roberts said in a written statement. "The past 24 hours have been a whirlwind and I am very grateful to law enforcement for looking into serious issues like this and for their professionalism throughout the process. I look forward to continuing my work in the city and serving our district as we enter our budget season." The woman's allegation was first reported by Mirror Indy on July 29. In a July 30 phone interview with IndyStar, the woman reiterated her accusations and called the police department's decision a "letdown." IndyStar does not normally name people who say they are victims of sexual assault. "I knew that there wasn't much that could be done, period, considering there was no witness proof or video proof," said the woman. "It's just been my word against his since the beginning." The allegation against Roberts — lauded by the Indiana Democratic Party as the youngest councilor to win in any major American city in 2023 after his election at just 23 years old — is the latest in a series of sexual misconduct claims made against men involved in city and state government. Most recently, City-County Councilor Keith Graves was accused of physical and sexual assault by a woman 30 years younger than him, according to an IndyStar investigation. Council Democrats have promised to spearhead reforms to the city's sexual harassment policies and reporting systems, including an overhaul of the human resources department and the creation of an inspector general to independently investigate alleged policy violations. Roberts and the woman, who graduated from high school this May, agreed to meet for a first date on July 5 after they matched on the dating app Hinge. After a kiss on their second date a week later in Fishers, the woman filed a police report that same night, she told IndyStar. Both say the first date went well. As they prepared to leave a café in Carmel, Roberts hugged her and kissed her on the cheek. The woman later texted him to say "I especially appreciate the kiss on the cheek," and that she wanted to meet up again soon, according to text messages obtained by IndyStar. "You can get another (and maybe more) next time," Roberts responded, by which he says he meant a kiss on the lips. After two hours had passed, the woman replied, "I hope so, I'd like that:)." She told IndyStar that Roberts' comment had made her uncomfortable, and she had been taken aback by the initial kiss on the cheek. She said she is unfamiliar with dating norms because she was homeschooled and "very sheltered" throughout her teenage years, so she followed his lead. They met a week later, on July 12, for an ice cream date followed by an evening walk along the Nickel Plate Trail in downtown Fishers. She heard no "red flags" during the initial conversation, she said. But during the walk, the woman says that Roberts pulled her off onto a side trail, where he began kissing and groping her while she pushed him away and told him to stop. She claims he grabbed her breasts and her butt and held onto her tightly. He eventually loosened his grip, she said, apparently because someone walked by along the main trail. "He suggested that we have a kiss, but he said it and then it all happened," the woman said. "He didn't give me time to think and so I couldn't do anything. And even if I did have time to think, I'm a freezer and so I wouldn't have been able to do anything." Roberts denies her account of those events, he said. He said he kissed her for only a few seconds and put his hands on her hips. "During the kiss, she did not push me away or ask me to stop," Roberts said in a written statement. "If she had done either, I would have stopped immediately. We then walked for approximately another 30 minutes, and we had a conversation with nothing out of the ordinary." The two walked back to their cars, where Roberts said "she leaned in so I could give her a kiss on her cheek and we said goodnight." The woman says Roberts never hugged her or kissed her at the end of that second date because she stepped back from his attempts. When the woman got home, she says she broke down. Her stepmother encouraged her to call police. Roberts said that officers showed up to his home that same night to pursue her allegations. This story will be updated.
Los Angeles Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
For $27.99 a month, you can join the hottest Gen Z club: AMC A-List
Some L.A. singles attract potential dates with dog pics, gym mirror selfies or promises that they love 'going on adventures.' Joel Lingaur's calling card is membership to a not exactly exclusive but popular club: AMC A-List. The movie theater subscription service has taken on a life of its own on the internet and has become a bit of a 'dog whistle' on dating apps, Lingaur said. 'I really like having it on there because it shows that I'm into movies, but I don't want to come across as a film bro,' he said. 'That idea feels a little pretentious to me.' And it works. Lingaur, a 25-year-old actor based in Culver City, said boasting his A-List status on the Hinge app acts as a conversation starter, or just helps him in 'coloring the picture' of prospective dates when they have it listed on their profiles. Lots of young people, especially in L.A., have 'all agreed that A-List is the quirky thing to put on your profile,' he said. AMC A-List is the highest tier of the theater chain's loyalty program, which allows cinephiles to see up to four movies a week for a monthly cost starting around $20. In California, where ticket prices are generally higher, members pay $27.99 a month. There isn't an upcharge for Imax or other premium formats, one of several benefits A-Listers enjoy. The A-List program, which launched in 2018, was born out of competition AMC was facing in the late 2010s with the short-lived industry disruptor, MoviePass, which allowed subscribers to see virtually unlimited movies at practically any theater for a low base rate. Theater chains like AMC were also struggling to slow the gradual decline in attendance, which was slipping before the COVID-19 pandemic, collapsed as theaters temporarily shut down and has yet to recover. But A-List, which the company said has close to 1 million members, has become much more than just a subscription service. It's like being part of the in-crowd for many, except the only barrier to entry is a relatively low monthly fee and perhaps a propensity for movie theater popcorn. AMC is grappling with significant financial woes — the company has nearly $4 billion in debt, reported losses of more than $200 million in the first quarter of the year and is watching its stock price sag since it became a meme stock four years ago. While it once traded at record highs during the meme-fueled rally, it's now sitting at around $3. Amid those difficulties, A-List is a bright spot, proving the company has an avid base of supporters and challenging notions that moviegoing will no longer be a favorite pastime for younger generations. A-Listers who have a deep enthusiasm for the brand are consistently attending showings, buying concessions and even encouraging others to enlist in the program. There's merchandise, both authorized and unauthorized — including unusual options like a Christmas tree topper and cross-stitch patterns — viral memes galore and a very active online community of A-Listers who flaunt the membership status like a badge of honor on dating apps, social media and in casual conversation. 'They have become a little bit of a marketing machine for us,' said Carrie Trotter, AMC's vice president of loyalty and brand marketing. While other movie chains — including Regal Cinemas, Cinemark and Alamo Drafthouse — have subscription services and loyalty programs, the AMC version has risen to a completely different level of cultural relevance. That's in large part because of the specific quirks of AMC fandom that have given the world's largest theater operator a cult-like following. Much of that culture has developed thanks to actor Nicole Kidman, whose appearance in an advertisement for the chain plays before each movie and became an internet sensation. The script contains platitudes about movie magic and hits a climax with Kidman, an Academy Award winner, saying its most memorable line: 'Heartbreak feels good in a place like this.' The $25-million campaign from fall of 2021 was designed to increase theater attendance coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, and while it may have helped revive quiet theaters, it also sparked memes, spoofs and parodies, including an SNL sketch. Peter Gerard, a 24-year-old special education teacher and friend of Lingaur, said he is among many A-Listers who can recite the script — or as many call it, 'the pledge' — from memory. In some showings with particularly enthusiastic crowds, there's a considerable audience reaction when the ad begins. 'I love it when people are in the theater and they're saluting, and they're clapping. I really enjoy that,' Gerard said. The reception to the ad exceeded the 'wildest dreams' of the team behind it, said Trotter, who was instrumental in its development. As for the spoofing and memeing of the 60-second spot, Trotter said she and her colleagues just 'can't ignore it.' AMC has sold merchandise with 'The Pledge' inscribed on it and has played into A-Listers' palpable enthusiasm through its own social media presence. As theatergoing faced an existential threat during COVID, many people assumed the joy of seeing a movie in theaters would be lost on younger generations, who often turn to social media, streaming and gaming for entertainment. But the program is hugely popular among Gen Z and millennials. Since the pandemic, Gen Z is the fastest growing audience segment within A-List, and the membership body is younger, more diverse and skews male compared to AMC's other loyalty programs and the general moviegoing audience as a whole, the company said. 'The movie theater is one of the last places you can truly disconnect and be in the moment,' Trotter said. 'With all the pressures going on, I think that that's one reason that Gen Z has really flocked to our A-List program. It gives them permission to disconnect just for a few hours. We want to be part of that, and so we can't help but lean into it as well.' These young people are eager to tell you they're enrolled in the program. Flaunting A-List status is often done in jest, but it also serves as 'a genuine signifier that you care about movies,' for Adora Adeyemi, a 22-year-old A-List subscriber who works as an assistant to a literary and talent manager. 'Even back to the days of the Beatles or what have you, it's not a new thing to want to rep what you care about,' Adeyemi said. A-List came out of a 'perfect storm,' striking at just the right moment, said Dan Murrell, a film critic and box office analyst. Murrell, an A-Lister himself, said the return-to-theaters crusade was aligned with a moment when many Gen Z folks were searching for a sense of community that they had missed out on during formative years through the pandemic. It also came just after AMC had served as meme fodder when it became a favorite stock of social media-savvy retail investors early in 2021, caught up in the 'meme stock' frenzy with GameStop and BlackBerry. The craze drove AMC's shares up exponentially at a time when it looked like the Leawood, Kan.-based company might have been on its last legs, something many Wall Street professionals were betting on. AMC Chief Executive Adam Aron warmly embraced the meme stock status, so when A-List and the Kidman ad started getting similar online treatment, it was only natural to welcome the attention. 'As a theatrical exhibition business, they need any kind of edge that they can get right now,' Murrell said. Several A-Listers said while the service is available nationwide, the 'cult' of A-List feels particularly strong in Los Angeles. Many A-Listers, speaking as they left or entered AMC locations across L.A., said they not only think they're getting a great deal given the area's high ticket prices, but they feel a strong sense of community among their fellow members. This is especially true because many in the city are either film fanatics or work in the industry. There's a subsection of A-Listers in L.A. — true film nerds — who attend AMC showings frequently but also patronize local independent theaters. One of those people is Ellie Bambach, who visits smaller theaters in addition to her AMC trips, which she said take place about twice weekly. Bambach, 32, said she enjoys the New Beverly Cinema in the Fairfax District and the Vista Theatre in Los Feliz, both of which are owned by the filmmaker Quentin Tarantino. The smaller theaters give her the chance to watch the classics, and her A-List membership means she can catch new releases, especially ones she wants to watch on premium formats like with Dolby audio and visuals that are available at AMC locations. There's another subset of A-List that might be ultra-specific to L.A., where parking can be infamously nightmarish. A handful of A-Listers said if they are at malls like the Grove or Westfield Century City to shop or dine, they often register for one of their four weekly showings so they can enter the theater just to validate their pricey parking garage ticket, exiting without catching a flick. But they insist they're still in it for the movies at the end of the day. Despite all the jokes, the half-ironic but half-sincere recitation of the AMC pledge of allegiance and a recent price hike, they remain loyal customers. 'L.A.'s a movie town … so if you like movies, I don't see how you could not have this at this point,' said Ellis Jones, a 25-year-old A-Lister. 'You're more a part of the conversation. Anyone I know who's interested in movies has A-List. If you don't have it, I'm like, 'Oh, you don't really want to see anything.''
Indianapolis Star
a day ago
- Politics
- Indianapolis Star
Indianapolis councilor Nick Roberts denies claims he groped 18-year-old woman against her will
Another Indianapolis city councilor is pushing back on accusations of sexual misconduct after a woman alleged that he groped her while she tried to push him away during a second date. An 18-year-old woman filed a report with Fishers police accusing City-County Council member Nick Roberts, 24, of grabbing her breasts and butt as she tried to pull away during a kiss on July 12 in downtown Fishers, according to allegations reported by Mirror Indy. Roberts, who has not been charged with a crime, denied the allegations in a Facebook video posted July 29, saying he did "absolutely nothing wrong." "I just wanted to completely deny the allegation of doing anything inappropriate," said Roberts, a Democrat. "Quite frankly, I'm not sure why this slanderous post was made about me, but it's incredibly hurtful not just to me but to my entire family and everyone who knows my character. I was raised to respect all people and I would never engage in unwanted physical contact with a woman without her consent." The allegation against Roberts — lauded by the Indiana Democratic Party as the youngest councilor to win in any major American city after his election in 2023 at just 23 years old — is the latest in a series of sexual misconduct claims made against Democrats in city and state politics. Roberts represents District 4, comprising parts of Castleton and Geist in northeast Marion County. Perhaps the most salient allegations are three women's accounts to IndyStar that Thomas Cook, a former top aide to Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett, pressured them into unwanted sexual encounters while dangling career growth before them as their superior. Two of the women have also criticized Hogsett himself for sending text messages that made them uncomfortable and allowing Cook to work as an unpaid adviser during a 2023 mayoral campaign despite his knowledge of past issues. More recently, City-County Council member Keith Graves was accused of physical and sexual assault by a woman 30 years younger than him, according to an IndyStar investigation. Council Democrats have promised to make reforms to the city's sexual harassment policies and reporting systems, including an overhaul of the human resources department and the creation of an inspector general to independently investigate alleged policy violations. Critics have said they doubt their intentions, however, after Council President Vop Osili ordered the forcible removal of one Cook accuser from a council meeting. Indy politics: Joe Hogsett wants to move past harassment scandal. Many aren't sure he can The accounts from Roberts and the woman, whom Mirror Indy did not name because she claims she's a victim of sexual assault, are aligned in some respects. But what differs starkly is their interpretation of a kiss during a second date. The two agreed to meet for brunch on July 5 after they matched on the dating app Hinge, Roberts said. Both say the first date went well, according to her text messages and comments to Mirror Indy. As they prepared to leave, Roberts hugged her and kissed her on the cheek. She later texted Roberts to say she "had a really good time" and "especially appreciate[d] the kiss on the cheek," according to Roberts. Roberts responded that she could get another "(and maybe more)" next time, by which he says he meant a kiss on the lips. Although the woman told Mirror Indy the remark made her uncomfortable, she responded, "I hope so, I'd like that :)" — meaning another kiss on the cheek. The two met in downtown Fishers a week later, on July 12, for ice cream and an evening stroll along the Nickel Plate Trail. During that walk, Roberts admits that he kissed her on the lips for a few seconds. The woman claims that Roberts pulled her off onto a side trail, where he began kissing and groping her while she pushed him away and told him to stop. He eventually loosened his grip, she said, apparently because someone walked by along the main trail. Roberts denies her account of those events, he said. He told Mirror Indy that the pair walked onto a side trail and kissed for a few seconds. He claims only to have put his hands on her hips. "While on our walk, because of those text messages, I kissed her on the lips for a few seconds," he said in a written statement reviewed by IndyStar. "During the kiss, she did not push me away or ask me to stop. If she had done either, I would have stopped immediately. We then walked for approximately another 30 minutes, and we had a conversation with nothing out of the ordinary." While Roberts described the following moments as unremarkable, the woman told Mirror Indy she was visibly shaken afterward. When they arrived back at their cars, Roberts said, "she leaned in so I could give her a kiss on her cheek and we said goodnight." The woman decided to file a police report soon after the date. Fishers police told Mirror Indy that the investigation is ongoing and refused to comment further. Roberts said he's cooperating fully with the police investigation and will continue to focus on his work as a councilor. "I have faith in the process and believe the facts will prove my innocence," Roberts said in the Facebook video, "and I remain committed toward working for our council district in the meanwhile."
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Love Island's India Reynolds reveals she's found love after All Stars with new boyfriend she met on Hinge
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) LOVE Island star India Reynolds has revealed she's found love after after meeting her new man on dating app Hinge. India, 34, took part on All Stars in January but was dumped from the villa after Tina Stinnes stole Scott Thomas from her in the recoupling. 4 India Reynolds has revealed she's found love after All Stars Credit: Instagram 4 The reality star said she met her new man on dating app Hinge Credit: Instagram 4 India was the first Islander to be dumped from the villa on the All Stars series this year Credit: ITV But it looks like her luck is changing after the brunette beauty decided to jump back into the dating pool after the show. India said: "I was in a long-term relationship and then single for three years, I think I got the fear of dating. "You know when you go on those dates on the show, you feel so awkward. "It just put the first date fear of god into me and I didn't date for ages." Appearing on Olivia Attwood's So Wrong It's Right podcast, the host was keen to find out if she was dating again. India shared that she had initially been blocked from the dating app after it was thought her profile was fake. But after the hiccup, India was back on the site and ready to find love. India revealed: "After I came out of this series, the All Stars in January, I was like 'I need to get my act together' because I haven't dated anyone properly in ages, I'm getting older, I want to have kids... get a move on. "I downloaded Hinge and thought this is going to be great for me and then they deleted my profile for impersonation, they thought it was a fake account. "I had to redownload it and I had to send my passport and go through this whole palaver just to go on a first date with someone." Love Island viewers after star makes VERY rude comment about rival's family member She then shared her excitement of her blossoming new romance, saying: "But I finally got it back, went on a first date and the first guy I went on a date with was really nice. Olivia then asked if she was still dating the mystery man and a smitten India confirmed they were an item. It February India posted a dig at show partner Scott Thomas on her page. The model was dumped from the island alongside Marcel Somerville, but had spent the first week getting closer to Scott. However, their potential romance ground to a halt after a brutal game of Truth or Dare. After India declared him the 'most calculated in the villa', shortly after he saw his head turn towards bombshell Tina Stinnes, Scott didn't look too happy. It prompted him to declare: "That's just given me the ick mate. Big." But the swipe against her doesn't seem to have phased India, and in a TikTok in her car she is seen lipsyncing to a trend saying: "Did I say that? Did I? Do you know what, I don't remember saying that." She wrote across the clip: "Scott after calling me an ick." India was previously hailed the "most beautiful" Love Island contestant - before her beauty secrets were revealed. After leaving the villa, India admitted she had her eye on someone else on the show – but didn't make a move because of their age. "I think if Luca was a bit older then maybe Luca," India exclusively told The Sun. India previously took part on Love Island in 2019, during series five. She entered the villa as a bombshell and reached the final with Ovie Soko, finishing in third place, but the pair split four months after.
The Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Love Island's India Reynolds reveals she's found love after All Stars with new boyfriend she met on Hinge
LOVE Island star India Reynolds has revealed she's found love after after meeting her new man on dating app Hinge. India, 34, took part on All Stars in January but was dumped from the villa after Tina Stinnes stole Scott Thomas from her in the recoupling. 4 4 4 But it looks like her luck is changing after the brunette beauty decided to jump back into the dating pool after the show. India said: "I was in a long-term relationship and then single for three years, I think I got the fear of dating. "You know when you go on those dates on the show, you feel so awkward. "It just put the first date fear of god into me and I didn't date for ages." Appearing on Olivia Attwood's So Wrong It's Right podcast, the host was keen to find out if she was dating again. India shared that she had initially been blocked from the dating app after it was thought her profile was fake. But after the hiccup, India was back on the site and ready to find love. India revealed: "After I came out of this series, the All Stars in January, I was like 'I need to get my act together' because I haven't dated anyone properly in ages, I'm getting older, I want to have kids... get a move on. "I downloaded Hinge and thought this is going to be great for me and then they deleted my profile for impersonation, they thought it was a fake account. "I had to redownload it and I had to send my passport and go through this whole palaver just to go on a first date with someone." Love Island viewers after star makes VERY rude comment about rival's family member She then shared her excitement of her blossoming new romance, saying: "But I finally got it back, went on a first date and the first guy I went on a date with was really nice. Olivia then asked if she was still dating the mystery man and a smitten India confirmed they were an item. It February India posted a dig at show partner Scott Thomas on her page. The model was dumped from the island alongside Marcel Somerville, but had spent the first week getting closer to Scott. However, their potential romance ground to a halt after a brutal game of Truth or Dare. After India declared him the 'most calculated in the villa', shortly after he saw his head turn towards bombshell Tina Stinnes, Scott didn't look too happy. It prompted him to declare: "That's just given me the ick mate. Big." But the swipe against her doesn't seem to have phased India, and in a TikTok in her car she is seen lipsyncing to a trend saying: "Did I say that? Did I? Do you know what, I don't remember saying that." She wrote across the clip: "Scott after calling me an ick." India was previously hailed the "most beautiful" Love Island contestant - before her beauty secrets were revealed. After leaving the villa, India admitted she had her eye on someone else on the show – but didn't make a move because of their age. "I think if Luca was a bit older then maybe Luca," India exclusively told The Sun. India previously took part on Love Island in 2019, during series five. She entered the villa as a bombshell and reached the final with Ovie Soko, finishing in third place, but the pair split four months after. 4
