BLM protesters file claims against SLO County District Attorney
January 31, 2021
By KAREN VELIE
Three BLM protesters have filed claims against San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow alleging discrimination, bias and malicious prosecution over charges related to a July 21 rally in which property was damaged and vehicles blocked. The protesters are seeking damages in excess of $10,000 each.
Lawyers for Tianna Arata, Sam Grocott and Robert Lastra claim their civil rights were violated when they were charged with multiple misdemeanors and, in Lastra’s case, a felony charge.
They cite a SLO County Superior Court Judge’s decision to disqualify Dow and his office from prosecutions in connection with the protest as evidence showing that Dow engaged in discrimination against them.
Image via Complex Original
When thinking of the 2014 Ferguson protests, many forget their political prisoners. The positive impact of the Black Lives Matter movement did not save Ferguson protestors who rose up in the wake of the killing of Michael Brown, an 18-year-old Black man from getting lost in the emotional burden and politics of social justice. In fact, the last political prisoner from Ferguson, Josh Williams, is seeking parole after serving an eight-year sentence for a charge fabricated with little evidence. When Williams was locked away, he was only 19 still a teenager. Years later, many Black youth organizers and activists are fighting to protect their rights and personal freedom.
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.
click to enlarge Photo By Jayson Mellom
FAR FROM OVER SLO County District Attorney Dan Dow and the California Attorney General appeal SLO County judge s ruling to disqualify the district attorney s office from prosecuting the case against Tianna Arata and six other defendants. On Jan. 8, the Attorney General s Office and the District Attorney s Office filed separate appeals of the Dec. 11, 2020, order recusing the DA s Office from the case. SLO Superier Court Judge Matthew Guerrero s order disqualified the entire SLO County District Attorney s Office due to a clear conflict of interest based in part on an email paid for by SLO County District Attorney Dan Dow s re-election campaign. The email was sent out to his supporters by Dow and his wife, Wendy Dow, less than 48 hours after his office charged Ara
January 8, 2021
By KAREN VELIE
The California Attorney General’s Office on Friday appealed a recent court ruling that disqualified the entire San Luis Obispo District Attorney’s Office from prosecuting local Black Lives Matter organizer Tiana Arrata and six others defendants involved in alleged criminal acts during a July protest.
The state filed two appeals, one in the felony case against Robert Lastra the protester who allegedly smashed a car window onto a 4-year-old boy and one in the misdemeanor filings against the remaining six defendants, according to the people’s notice of appeal. The state is asking the SLO County Superior Court to consolidate the two cases for the appeals to insure uniformity in the rulings.