Phish Bassist Gordon Cleared September 19, 2003 - Rolling Stone By Gil Kaufman Prosecutors drop child endangerment charges Phish's Mike Gordon was cleared of child endangerment charges this morning, more than a month after the bassist was found alone with a nine-year-old girl in a boathouse during a Grateful Dead concert at Jones Beach, New York. After the August 11th incident Gordon, 38, claimed that he was taking art pictures of the girl. The Nassau County District Attorney's office concluded that police had probable cause to arrest Gordon but that the misdemeanor endangerment charges were not provable beyond a reasonable doubt. "Mr. Gordon appeared at the arraignment this morning and the case was dismissed," spokesman Rick Hinshaw said. A violation charge of trespassing was also dismissed. The charges could have resulted in a year of jail time. Hinshaw said Gordon made no statements at the arraignment, which was also attended by the girl's parents. The girl's father -- who, along with Gordon, was an invited backstage guest -- was identified in media reports as a leader of a local Hell's Angels Motorcycle chapter. Following the incident, a joint statement credited to Gordon and the girl's family was released by Phish's label, Elektra Records. It read, "We have had several discussions regarding the situation that occurred at Jones Beach. It is now clear to all involved that this was an unfortunate misunderstanding, and we look forward to putting this matter behind us." An Elektra spokesperson could not confirm at the time whether a monetary settlement was reached between the parties. Copyright © 2003 Rolling Stone