NBC: DA Alvin Bragg drops charges against most Columbia U protesters

Columbia protestors 2

Funny that the NBC report doesn't even mention Alvin Bragg's name. But you know it was his call. So I was wrong in that I thought they'd all get ACD'd (adjourned contemplating dismissal) and have to keep their noses clean for six months to have the slate wiped clean. But nope, home free. Meanwhile our friend Joan gets a 27 month sentence for sitting on the floor of an abortion site and saying the rosary. "Pro-lifers imprisoned under FACE Act speak out"  YUP. 27 months. She's in federal prison now.

The 31 people whose cases were dismissed were students or staff at Columbia, Barnard or Union Theological Seminary.Of the defendants who would have later had their cases dismissed, pending no further arrests, 12 were not staff members or students at Columbia and two were students, the district attorney’s office said.

During the court appearances Thursday afternoon, a prosecutor said the defendants do not have criminal histories and that they will face internal disciplinary proceedings at Columbia.

A Columbia University official said the disciplinary process is ongoing but declined to comment further.

The prosecutor said it would have been “extremely difficult” to prove the dismissed cases because the district attorney’s office lacks evidence, including surveillance footage from cameras that were covered up. The fact that some of the defendants wore masks also made it difficult to identify their specific actions.

An attorney for the defendants asked the court to immediately dismiss the charges against all of the accused, saying there are no allegations that the defendants hurt people or damaged property.

In the downtown courtroom, some of the defendants wore face masks and some wore kaffiyehs, which are distinctly patterned Palestinian scarves. At least two wore sunglasses.

As the hearings began, police confiscated what appeared to be a protest sign found under one of the seats.

When a prosecutor told the court that Carlson was accused of burning an Israeli flag, some of the defendants seated in the room could be heard snickering. A police officer instructed them to be quiet.


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