DOJ Felony Assault Charges Against Protesters Met With Acquittals, Dismissals
Federal prosecutors brought felony assault charges against individuals arrested during protests in several major U.S. cities in 2020. An analysis by The Associated Press found that juries and judges often acquitted defendants or dismissed these charges, resulting in a low conviction rate for the Justice Department.
Federal prosecutors pursued felony assault charges against individuals arrested during protests in Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland, and Washington, D.C., in 2020. An analysis by The Associated Press revealed that juries and judges frequently acquitted defendants or dismissed these charges. These cities experienced significant protests, and then-President Donald Trump deployed or sought to deploy the National Guard in each location.
The Justice Department's efforts to secure convictions for felony assault against protesters encountered limited success. The AP's findings indicate a pattern where federal charges did not consistently result in guilty verdicts or sustained legal actions in these specific cases.
Prosecutors brought these felony charges amid widespread demonstrations. The AP reviewed the outcomes of these cases across the four cities identified. The analysis focused on the legal dispositions of individuals facing federal felony assault charges stemming from these protest events.
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