CLEVELAND (AP) An assault charge was dropped against one of two people accused of causing permanent hearing loss to a Cleveland restaurant employee while using megaphones during a coronavirus protest outside the eatery.The county prosecutor's office this week dropped the charge against Josiah Douglas, 25, of Cleveland, but the charge still stands against Sydney Yahner, 21, of Willoughby, Cleveland.com reported.Both were indicted in January by a Cuyahoga County grand jury. Defense attorney, Peter Pattakos, said he was pleased prosecutors dismissed the case against Douglas and was hopeful they would do the same with Yahner's charges.He initially called the charges an “outrageous attack” on the pair’s First Am
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February 1, 2021, 12:21 AM·49 min read
Alabama
People get COVID-19 vaccines during a drive-in clinic in the old Montgomery Mall parking lot in Montgomery, Ala., on Saturday.
Montgomery: The state will roughly double the number of people eligible to receive immunizations against COVID-19 this month even though there’s still not enough vaccine for everyone who qualifies for a shot, the head of the state health agency said Friday. Dr. Scott Harris, the state health officer, said everyone 65 and older, educators, court officials, corrections officers, postal employees, grocery store workers, some manufacturing workers, public transit workers, agriculture employees, state legislators and constitutional officers will be eligible to get vaccinations when the program expands Feb. 8. Currently, only people 75 and older, first responders, health care workers and long-term care residents ar
2 charged with felony assault after loudly protesting outside Town Hall
Assault charges follow 2020 protest By Aria Janel | January 29, 2021 at 7:40 PM EST - Updated January 29 at 7:40 PM
OHIO CITY, Ohio (WOIO) - In the summer of 2020, Sydney Yahner and Josiah Douglas protested outside of the bar Town Hall in Ohio City.
“The cause was speaking out against racists, sexist and misogynistic business practices,” said Yahner.
According to a police report, an employee of Town Hall suffered hearing loss after protesters made their case loudly using megaphones.
Now, a grand jury has indicted Yahner and Douglas on felony assault charges.
Their lawyer Peter Pattakos says there’s more to the story.
2 protesters accused of causing hearing loss with megaphones
January 29, 2021 GMT
CLEVELAND (AP) Two people accused of causing permanent hearing loss to a Cleveland restaurant employee while using megaphones during a coronavirus protest outside the eatery are facing felony assault charges.
Josiah Douglas, 25, of Cleveland, and Sydney Yahner, 21, of Willoughby were indicted last week by a Cuyahoga County grand jury, Cleveland.com and Scene Magazine reported.
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Both have pleaded not guilty. Their attorney, Peter Pattakos, called the charges an “outrageous attack” on the pair’s First Amendment right to engage in peaceful protest.
“Being subject to a baseless felony prosecution is one of the worst things that happen to a person at the hands of the government,” Pattakos said.