Man convicted for disrupting Teton County women’s march, free speech not at issue

DRIGGS — One of the two men involved in a scuffle that disrupted an otherwise peaceful march for women’s rights this January has been convicted by a jury of two misdemeanors.

Greg Geffner was convicted of misdemeanor obstructing a highway and misdemeanor disturbing the peace following a trial on July 28. He was sentenced to pay $803 in fines.

The judgment was withheld for the two charges meaning he won’t serve jail time, but he will serve unsupervised probation. If Geffner fails to pay his fines during that time or is charged with new offenses he could be forced to serve the sentences for his original crimes.

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On Jan. 21 Geffner was in downtown Driggs during the local women’s march. Hundreds of people joined the Driggs march, which was part of nationwide movement to promote civil rights, including women’s rights.

While over 900 people attended, only two were involved in any sort of violence.

RELATED: Charges filed against two men after fight at Women’s March

The confrontation was caught on several cell phone videos as well as by a drone flying overhead. Geffner was filmed standing in the roadway and then having a physical altercation with Scott Rehberg of Victor. Rehburg pleaded guilty to misdemeanor disturbing the peace in June. He will be sentenced in September.

Geffner’s defense centered on the first amendment, but the judge denied Geffner’s motion to have the charges thrown out because of his right to free speech.

Instead the jury only looked at whether he committed the crimes in question and found him guilty on both charges.

“I think based on that we’re happy with the outcome and there was some accountability,” said Deputy Prosecutor Lindsey Blake.

This article was originally published by the Teton Valley News. It is used here with permission.