(by Claire Cruise)

USA(SANEPR.com) May 29, 2007 --
On Thursday, May 24, U.S. Presidential Candidate Claire Cruise (Ind.), 41, successfully obtained a temporary restraining order against a woman who stalked, harrassed and physically assaulted her the previous Tuesday, May 22. The incident took place at approximately 5:50 p.m. inside the Gateway Center in downtown Atlanta, a homeless shelter where Cruise was staying at the time.

Cruise did not know the woman, Chandel Carter, 23, or even that Carter was 5 months pregnant. After stalking Cruise around the Gateway Center and attempting to verbally and physically intimidate Cruise for no apparent reason, Carter suddenly began punching Cruise with closed fists in her face, head and upper body. This caused Cruise to fall to the floor and scream four times before a security guard finally pulled Carter off of Cruise in order to restrain Carter together with other guards. In total, about 10 punches hit Cruise.

Police and paramedics were immediately called by security and, soon afterwards, Carter was formally charged and taken to Atlanta City Detention Center where she was held until Saturday, May 26 with bail set at $153.00. As a precaution, Cruise elected to go to Grady Memorial Hospital to be observed for head trauma, but was released without treatment many hours later when no problems became apparent.

The day after the incident, Cruise agreed to attend court at the Municipal Court Building on Garnett Street where Carter pleaded guilty to "Act Violent With Another." In the past, Carter had been charged with "Fighting," but that case had been dismissed.

The incident occurred just over a week after Cruise had relocated herself and her presidential campaign to Atlanta from Hollywood, Calif. on Monday, May 14 and merely a day after she had sent a highly incriminating "I-Report" to CNN regarding President George W. Bush (her cousin), former President George H. W. Bush (her uncle), as well as two other U.S. Presidential candidates, another former president and a prominent member of the Bush Administration.

As a follow-up to this incident, Cruise was nearly hit by a black SUV that sped through a red light just as she was about to cross Peachtree Street at Northern Avenue on her way to a Marta station just before 5 p.m. on Sunday, May 27. Only moments before had Cruise e-mailed this same article to the Associated Press from the library at Georgia Tech.

Cruise and Carter are due back in court at the Fulton County Courthouse on June 7, a time when Cruise hopes to obtain a permanent restraining order.

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