BERKELEY: Protesters Involved in Feb. 26 Riot Found Not-Guilty of All Charges

The Daily Californian ^ | 11/16/10 | Gabby Fastiggi

[SmithL]

Two protesters involved in the Feb. 26 Southside riot were acquitted of all charges Monday following a short deliberation by jurors.

The defendants - Zachary Miller, an alumnus of UC Berkeley, and Marika Goodrich, a senior at the time of the riot - had been charged with misdemeanors and were arrested during the protest.

Miller had been charged with resisting arrest, obstructing a peace officer and attempted removal of a non-firearm weapon from a peace officer, while Goodrich was charged with misdemeanor assault against a peace officer.

According to Goodrich's attorney, John Hamasaki, the jury quickly came back with a decision because they thought the evidence presented over the past two weeks did not support the prosecution's case against the pair.

"I believe that justice was served and I am happy that Marika and Zach can now move forward with their lives," Hamasaki said.

Berkeley Police Department officer Byron White previously testified on Nov. 4 that a group of officers had advanced into the crowd of protesters on the night of the riot and that he used his baton a number of times to strike them, with multiple people ending up on the ground.

[SmithL]

Not guilty, but they do get extra credit for community activism.

[Islander7]

Is there some way the US can secede from Kalifornia?

[ROLF of the HILL COUNTRY]

Just what was this “riot” about? From reading the article, it sounds like the cops were looking to give a good beating to someone. (When cops intentionally leave things out of their reports, I HOPE THE JURY WOULD ACQUIT!!!)