Three San Luis Obispo protesters agree to misdemeanor diversion
March 11, 2021
Three of the five Black Lives Matter protesters charged with illegal acts during a June 1, 2020 protest in San Luis Obispo were granted misdemeanor diversion this week, which allows them to eventually have their cases dismissed.
On June 1, protesters blocked traffic on Highway 101, and later engaged in a standoff with officers near the police station. The protest allegedly turned violent with agitators throwing water bottles at officers.
Officers responded with pepper spray, tear gas and handcuffs.
The San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office filed charges of failing to disperse a riot and resisting or obstructing an officer against Gianna Stoddard, 26, according to the complaint. Henry Popp, 19; Abigail Landis, 22; Michael Gates, 22; and Alexandra Bahramzadehebrahimi, 22, were each charged with one count of failure to disperse a riot or unlawful assembly.
Three receive misdemeanor diversions for charges connected to June 2020 protests in San Luis Obispo keyt.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from keyt.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
San Luis Obispo County judge halts more cases against BLM protesters
January 21, 2021
By JOSH FRIEDMAN
A San Luis Obispo County judge on Tuesday halted the criminal case against five Black Lives Matter protesters who are being prosecuted for actions at a demonstration separate than the one that led to charges against activist Tianna Arata and her co-defendants.
Judge Michael Duffy ruled to suspend proceedings in both the Arata case, stemming from a July 21, 2020 protest, and the case of five protesters who face misdemeanor counts stemming from a June 1, 2020 demonstration.
Duffy suspended court proceedings pending the result of an appeal filed by the SLO County District Attorney’s Office and the California Attorney General’s Office. Prosecutors are appealing a ruling by Judge Matthew Guerrero to disqualify the DA’s office from the Arata case due to his finding that District Attorney Dan Dow had a conflict of interest in prosecuting the Black Lives Matter activist.