chris murphy · @chrismurphys
8th Apr 2012 from Twitlonger
News:Matthew Newton. Statement from a highly regarded, Christian Minister/Psychologist who had been counselling MN in Miami ' When I went the bar, I asked to see the manager. I asked him if he had been there that night, that a friend of mine had been arrested. He said, "the australian". Not in a derogatory way, but just as an identifier. I then asked if he could tell me what happened. He was very vague about how much Matt had to drink there, but said he was with a few other people. Apparently they asked him to leave and he went out and sat on their tables on the sidewalk. Then I guess they called the cops or there was a cop on the street. They asked him to leave and he did and then came back. The manager said the cops were being nice telling him to come back tomorrow. Matt didn't leave and so they arrested him. The manager kept saying he was hammered.'
The Minister attended the scene the day after the incident. He had spent time in a professional meeting with Newton prior to the arrest event.
Other press reports state that the bar manager said Newton had 'one beer'. Newton does not drink beer and witnesses state he had no alcohol at the Bar.