1. Home
 / Modified feb 13, 2021 2:16 p.m.

Prosecutor moves to drop protest cases with gang charges

Maricopa County Attorney Allister Adel said her office filed motions to dismiss the cases while it reevaluates evidence
by Associated Press

Maricopa county superior courthouse Maricopa County Superior Court
Tony Webster

Prosecutors are moving to dismiss charges against 16 people accused of assisting or participating in a criminal street gang after being arrested at a Phoenix protest against police brutality.

Maricopa County Attorney Allister Adel said Friday night that her office filed motions to dismiss the cases while it reevaluates evidence.

The motions, which would allow charges to be refiled, came after Phoenix television station KNXV aired investigative reports on the gang charges and circumstances related to handling of other protests.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona and others had called the gang charges a political prosecution intended to silence dissent and scare protesters.

MORE: Arizona, Courts, Crime, News
By posting comments, you agree to our
AZPM encourages comments, but comments that contain profanity, unrelated information, threats, libel, defamatory statements, obscenities, pornography or that violate the law are not allowed. Comments that promote commercial products or services are not allowed. Comments in violation of this policy will be removed. Continued posting of comments that violate this policy will result in the commenter being banned from the site.

By submitting your comments, you hereby give AZPM the right to post your comments and potentially use them in any other form of media operated by this institution.
AZPM is a service of the University of Arizona and our broadcast stations are licensed to the Arizona Board of Regents who hold the trademarks for Arizona Public Media and AZPM. We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples.
The University of Arizona