A protester was acquitted Wednesday of charges that he assaulted a federal agent during widespread protests against immigration crackdowns in Los Angeles, just hours after one of the faces of President Trump's enforcement policies took the stand to testify against him.
U.S. Border Patrol Sector Chief Gregory Bovino — the brash agent who led a phalanx of military personnel into MacArthur Park this summer — was called as a witness Wednesday in a federal misdemeanor assault case against Brayan Ramos-Brito, who was accused of striking a federal agent.
Bovino, who flew in to testify from Chicago, the latest city targeted for an immigration enforcement surge, said he witnessed the alleged assault committed by Ramos-Brito in Paramount on June 7.
Bovino was questioned by the defense about previous comments he made referring to undocumented immigrants as "scum."
The jury came back with the acquittal after a little over an hour of deliberations.
The case could prove to be an ominous bellwether for embattled acting U.S. Atty. Bill Essayli, who has struggled to win indictments against those charged with committing crimes while protesting aggressive immigration enforcement in Southern California.
Posted by John3262005
2 Comments
It is your civic duty if you are ever called for jury duty to look at the facts and the law and make a determination if the state has proven their burden beyond a reasonable doubt.
While stating that you believe in jury nullification is likely to get you booted (I don’t actually believe in that) there is nothing wrong with considering the credibility of this administration and it’s officials (they lie all the time) in a good faith effort to fact find.
Nullification go brrrrrrr