Judge dismisses lead rioting charge against defendants in Inauguration Day protest trial

[DonViejo]

Source: The Washington Post




By Keith L. Alexander December 13 at 4:04 PM

The D.C. Superior Court judge overseeing the trial of six people charged in Inauguration Day protests that turned violent has dismissed one of the most serious charges of inciting a riot.

After hearing the cases presented by prosecutors and defense attorneys during the past three weeks, Judge Lynn Leibovitz on Wednesday said there was not enough evidence against the four women and two men to prove they urged others to riot and destroy property along 16 downtown Washington blocks.

“None of them engaged in conduct that amounted to urging other persons to destroy property,” the judge said.

The six defendants are the first to go to trial in Inauguration Day rioting cases; more than 150 others who were arrested are set for trials in coming months. Prosecutors said the group of protesters smashed store windows with bricks, hammers and crowbars and damaged a limousine Jan.?20, the day President Trump was sworn in.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/news/364771-judge-dismisses-rioting-charges-against-six-trump-inauguration-protesters

[KY_EnviroGuy]

1. The wheels of justice do turn slow.

I'm afraid a lot of lives will be ruined because of the violence of a few thoughtless thugs. I hope the real culprits are identified and jailed and/or fined. Dems don't need this hanging around our necks as Repug ammunition.

Makes me wonder if this could have been encouraged by external evil players on social media like they did in Texas.

[BigmanPigman]

2. Most likely. It is their MO.

[Javaman]

6. much like the Occupy Wall Street protests...

there were agent provocateurs in that crowd. no doubt planted by the repukes and right wing.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

7. Thanks, and here's plenty of proof:

1. Russia organized 2 sides of a Texas protest and encouraged 'both sides to battle in the streets'
See: http://www.businessinsider.com/russia-trolls-senate-intelligence-committee-hearing-2017-11

2. Russian Journalists Just Published a Bombshell Investigation About a Kremlin-Linked “Troll Factory”
See: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/10/russian-journalists-just-published-a-bombshell-investigation-about-a-kremlin-linked-troll-factory/

3. Exclusive: Fake black activist accounts linked to Russian government
See: http://money.cnn.com/2017/09/28/media/blacktivist-russia-facebook-twitter/index.html

4. Russian troll factory paid US activists to help fund protests during election
See: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/17/russian-troll-factory-activists-protests-us-election

We are a vulnerable and naive people. ......

[Gothmog]

3. This case has been a witch hunt from day one and should never have gone to trial

[marble falls]

4. That sound you hear is the sound of a prosecutor's case sliding into a dumpster.

[iluvtennis]

5. This is a waste of our taxpayer monies. Use the $ for medicare/medicaid/social security.

[Gothmog]

8. More charges are being dropped

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