Heckler of Hu Jintao gets charges dropped

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Falun Gong follower who heckled Chinese President Hu Jintao at a White House ceremony has reached a deal with prosecutors under which all charges against her will be dropped, her attorney announced Wednesday.

Wang Wenyi faced a misdemeanor charge of intimidating, coercing, threatening and harassing a foreign official for interrupting the April 20 event in which President Bush welcomed Hu to the White House. She could have faced six months in jail and a $5,000 fine.

Her attorney, David Bos, told U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge John Facciola at a hearing Wednesday that he and prosecutors had reached a deal to dismiss the charges.

Wang, 47, said she is prohibited from confronting any foreign officials over the next year.