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Riot charges dropped against three more journalists at inauguration protests Riot charges dropped against three more journalists at inauguration protests
(about 1 hour later)
Three more journalists who were arrested while covering protests against Donald Trump’s inauguration have had felony charges against them dropped by prosecutors.Three more journalists who were arrested while covering protests against Donald Trump’s inauguration have had felony charges against them dropped by prosecutors.
Alexander Rubinstein, Jack Keller and Matthew Hopard had been facing potential 10-year prison sentences and $25,000 fines following their detention by police in Washington DC on 20 January.Alexander Rubinstein, Jack Keller and Matthew Hopard had been facing potential 10-year prison sentences and $25,000 fines following their detention by police in Washington DC on 20 January.
Riot charges against the three were dismissed on Monday after the US attorney’s office in Washington DC said in court filings that it would not proceed with the prosecutions. An identical charge against Evan Engel, a senior producer for Vocativ, was dropped last week.Riot charges against the three were dismissed on Monday after the US attorney’s office in Washington DC said in court filings that it would not proceed with the prosecutions. An identical charge against Evan Engel, a senior producer for Vocativ, was dropped last week.
Two other men who say they were covering the demonstrations as members of the media – Shay Horse, an independent photojournalist, and Aaron Cantú, a freelance journalist and activist – remain charged with felony rioting, according to court records.Two other men who say they were covering the demonstrations as members of the media – Shay Horse, an independent photojournalist, and Aaron Cantú, a freelance journalist and activist – remain charged with felony rioting, according to court records.
William Miller, a spokesman for the prosecutor’s office, said in a statement that the decision to drop the charges had been reached “after a review of evidence presented to us by law enforcement” relating to the journalists.William Miller, a spokesman for the prosecutor’s office, said in a statement that the decision to drop the charges had been reached “after a review of evidence presented to us by law enforcement” relating to the journalists.
In a statement, Keller said he was thrilled about the charge being dropped and thanked those who supported him. “It is critical that activists and journalists continue to work together moving forward in the fight against injustice,” said Keller.
Rubinstein thanked his editors along with campaign groups, such as the Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters Without Borders, which called for the charges to be dismissed. “As a journalist who was live-streaming for my company at the time, the arrest was a clear mistake,” Rubinstein said in a statement.
The prosecutors declined to comment on the cases of Horse and Cantú. “As in all of our cases, we are always willing to consider additional information that people bring forward,” Miller said in his statement.The prosecutors declined to comment on the cases of Horse and Cantú. “As in all of our cases, we are always willing to consider additional information that people bring forward,” Miller said in his statement.
Rubinstein was covering the protests for RT America. Keller was working as a producer for the web documentary series Story of America. Hopard, an independent journalist, was live-streaming the events online.Rubinstein was covering the protests for RT America. Keller was working as a producer for the web documentary series Story of America. Hopard, an independent journalist, was live-streaming the events online.