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6 protesters acquitted of rioting, related charges stemming from Inauguration Day
WTOP News [Washington DC] ^ | December 21, 2017 2:30 pm | Amanda Iacone and Megan Cloherty

Posted on 12/21/2017 12:03:01 PM PST by COBOL2Java

WASHINGTON — Six protesters cleared of all charges related to riots that broke out on Inauguration Day were jubilant and declared a victory for lawful dissent after a jury found them not guilty Thursday following a monthlong trial.

“People won’t be afraid to show up and go protest and get in the streets and not be worried that they’ll get mass arrested like we did,” said Michelle Macchio, one of the six acquitted defendants. “This sets a really strong precedent that that’s not ok and you can’t criminalize dissent.”

The jury deliberated for a week before delivering its verdict in D.C. Superior Court.

Defendants described their reaction in the courtroom as relief, followed by hugging and sobbing.

“This isn’t just about the six of us. This about the other 188 people that are left to go. … All we can do is hope that these acquittals really set the stage for them to also get acquittals,” Macchio said.

(Excerpt) Read more at wtop.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; News/Current Events; US: District of Columbia
KEYWORDS: dc; michellemacchio; radicalleft; rentamob; trumpinaurural
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To: COBOL2Java

Trying to get a pro-America jury in the DC area is like trying to get ham ‘n cheese in a Kosher deli.


21 posted on 12/21/2017 12:54:47 PM PST by JimRed ( TERM LIMITS, NOW! Build the Wall Faster! TRUTH is the new HATE SPEECH.)
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To: dsrtsage

“Next time somebody I dont like gets elected I am going break every window and burn every building I see”

Not the ones with “colored” painted on the window.


22 posted on 12/21/2017 1:05:35 PM PST by Pirate Ragnar (Libs put feelings first and thought second.)
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To: All

DC, the land of the lawless, lost civilization.


23 posted on 12/21/2017 1:12:49 PM PST by veracious (UN = OIC = Islam ; Dems may change USAgov completely, just amend USConstitution)
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To: ex91B10

What did the judge do? It was a jury trial.


24 posted on 12/21/2017 1:13:31 PM PST by WayneS (An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last. - Winston Churchill)
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To: COBOL2Java
Prosecutors acknowledged that they had no evidence that the six defendants wielded hammers or crowbars, or threw bricks at police officer...

I guess they would have been more likely to get a conviction if they had actual evidence against the individuals who were on trial. I despise "protesters" who destroy public and private property, but I still would not vote to convict someone unless I was presented with evidence of their guilt.

25 posted on 12/21/2017 1:16:06 PM PST by WayneS (An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last. - Winston Churchill)
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To: laconic

I imagine it was/is a dangerous time to be a Trump person there.


26 posted on 12/21/2017 1:18:57 PM PST by ichabod1 (White Male)
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To: COBOL2Java

The judge had a legal obligation to explain to that jury that if it was proven the defendants did what they were accused of, then they MUST convict. The idea that a jury is allowed to declare someone”not guilty”, when the burden of proof is met, is ridiculous. Otherwise, we have no protection that proven criminals can be set free, arbitrarily, by a jury, who due to politics want them to go free. (I know. It happens more than we’d like, but that doesn’t make it right).


27 posted on 12/21/2017 1:23:38 PM PST by Flaming Conservative
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To: WayneS

Perhaps because the judge wouldn’t allow the evidence.


28 posted on 12/21/2017 1:25:39 PM PST by AppyPappy (Don't mistake your dorm political discussions with the desires of the nation)
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To: COBOL2Java
These ner-do-wells weren't arrested for protesting.

They were arrested for rioting and destroying property.

Idiots all.

29 posted on 12/21/2017 1:28:26 PM PST by HotHunt
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To: Flaming Conservative
The idea that a jury is allowed to declare someone”not guilty”, when the burden of proof is met, is ridiculous.

I disagree. Requiring a jury to convict someone is ridiculous.

Jury nullification is a valid method by which citizens can protest unjust laws. Under the law, the jury is "allowed" to do whatever their conscience tells them to do, even if you and I don't like it.

To have it any other way would pervert our justice system. Our legal system is intentionally biased in favor of the defendant, not the prosecution.

Whether we think these particular people are guilty or not is irrelevant. Having to live with occasional instances where the guilty are not punished as much as I would like them to be is a small price to pay to protect individual rights.

I would not want to live in a country where the justice system was biased in favor of the government/prosecutors.

30 posted on 12/21/2017 1:31:56 PM PST by WayneS (An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last. - Winston Churchill)
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To: AppyPappy

That’s not the way I interpreted the statement in the article.


31 posted on 12/21/2017 1:32:59 PM PST by WayneS (An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last. - Winston Churchill)
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; Bockscar; cardinal4; ColdOne; Convert from ECUSA; ...
Don't worry, next time they won't get a trial. Thanks COBOL2Java.

32 posted on 12/21/2017 1:43:43 PM PST by SunkenCiv (www.tapatalk.com/groups/godsgravesglyphs/, forum.darwincentral.org, www.gopbriefingroom.com)
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To: WayneS

Judges can nullify.


33 posted on 12/21/2017 3:00:11 PM PST by ex91B10
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To: july4thfreedomfoundation
of course they're DC blacks...its set up that way....

karma....I believe in it...

34 posted on 12/21/2017 3:03:06 PM PST by cherry
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To: ex91B10

They can’t nullify a not guilty verdict from a jury.


35 posted on 12/21/2017 3:04:13 PM PST by WayneS (An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last. - Winston Churchill)
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Comment #36 Removed by Moderator

Comment #37 Removed by Moderator

Comment #38 Removed by Moderator

To: COBOL2Java

I would think that with about 200 arrests that the prosecutors have broken up the trials by charges and strength of evidence. Question is did they bring their strongest case first or are they going in reverse order?


39 posted on 12/21/2017 5:17:27 PM PST by Tallguy (Twitter short-circuits common sense. Please engage your brain before tweeting.)
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To: COBOL2Java

I would think that with about 200 arrests that the prosecutors have broken up the trials by charges and strength of evidence. Question is did they bring their strongest case first or are they going in reverse order?


40 posted on 12/21/2017 5:17:42 PM PST by Tallguy (Twitter short-circuits common sense. Please engage your brain before tweeting.)
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