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MTV star grabbed several girls at mall event, teen says

Margera on trial in fondling case

Sue Lindsay, Rocky Mountain News

Published October 25, 2007 at midnight

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A 14-year-old girl said an MTV star on trial in Jefferson County for allegedly fondling three young teens grabbed at the breasts and buttocks of many of the girls who came to get their photos taken with him last year at the Colorado Mills mall.

"When a girl came up to get a picture, I saw him grab their boob or their butt," said Mina Darnell. "I wasn't focused on it the whole time, but (it happened to) at least one-quarter to one-half of all the girls who were there."

Darnell testified Tuesday at Vincent Margera's trial in Jefferson County District Court for the alleged incidents on Aug. 18, 2006.

She said girls would have their picture taken and then comment as they were leaving, "He just touched me!"

Darnell said she went to the event with two friends but didn't get Margera's autograph herself.

Margera, 51, portrayed "Don Vito" on the MTV reality show Viva La Bam, which starred his nephew, Bam Margera.

In other testimony, Steve Wilson, 15, said he saw Margera put a sticker on his friend's breast at the event.

"He signed her shirt and then reached up and put a sticker on her breast," he said. "I was really shocked because she's very young and he's - I don't know - probably like 50."

Wilson said his friend was shaken by Margera's conduct. "She came up and she was really shocked that it had happened, and she asked me, did you see what he just did?"

Margera's attorney contends that her client may have been obnoxious and vulgar during the appearance, but was merely playing the part of Don Vito, who is known for his boorish behavior.

Former Mills security officer Jordan Gillette said Margera was disheveled and having trouble standing and walking when Gillette contacted him after a parent complained that Margera had assaulted her daughter.

He said Margera told him, "I didn't touch no 12-year-old girl" and made a grabbing motion with his hand.