---
[ ERIC PREVEN'S NOTEBOOK ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/eric-preven-s-notebook)
# 'Victory for Right to Dissent' … Six J20 Protesters Found Not Guilty on All Charges
December 21 2017
Written by Jake Johnson.
[](https://www.addtoany.com/share)
RESISTANCE WATCH--In a decision civil liberties groups applauded as "[a tremendous victory for the right to dissent](https://www.nlg.org/nlg-welcomes-not-guilty-verdict-in-first-j20-inauguration-day-protest-trial/)," a jury on Thursday returned [not guilty verdicts](https://www.unicornriot.ninja/2017/jury-finds-six-j20-defendants-not-guilty-on-all-charges/) for six Americans on trial for protesting President Donald Trump's inauguration on January 20, 2017.
*"A huge victory for democracy and protest, a huge defeat for the police state and the suppression of dissent." —Angus Johnston, City University of New York*
The [group of protesters](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/the-first-of-six-people-on-trial-in-violent-inauguration-day-protests-is-found-not-guilty/2017/12/21/6c97fd84-ded9-11e7-8679-a9728984779c_story.html)—which includes a nurse, a photojournalist, and a college student—could have faced decades in prison if convicted on charges that ranged from property destruction to conspiracy to riot.
Scott Michelman, senior staff attorney with the ACLU of D.C., said in a [statement](https://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2017/12/21/aclu-dc-applauds-jury-verdict-inauguration-day-protestor-criminal-trials) Thursday that the jury's decision to acquit the defendants of all charges "reaffirms two central constitutional principles of our democracy: first, that dissent is not a crime, and second, that our justice system does not permit guilt by association."
"We hope today's verdict begins the important work of teaching police and prosecutors to respect the line between lawbreaking and constitutionally protected protest," Michelman added.
The trial of the six protesters began on November 20, and it was just the first of many set to take place in the coming months. More than 200 anti-Trump demonstrators, legal observers, and journalists were "[indiscriminately](https://www.thenation.com/article/the-prosecution-of-inauguration-day-protesters-is-a-threat-to-dissent/)" swept up in mass arrests carried out during inauguration protests in January. More than 180 demonstrators are still awaiting their time in court.
Jude Ortiz, mass defense committee chair for the National Lawyers Guild, [called](https://www.nlg.org/nlg-welcomes-not-guilty-verdict-in-first-j20-inauguration-day-protest-trial/) the jury's verdict on Thursday a "resounding victory" and argued it is proof of "the prosecution's complete lack of evidence."
Common Dreams has been bringing the progressive community the news that matters for over 20 years. **We rely on support from thousands of small contributors to keep publishing.** More people are reading Common Dreams than ever before but the number of readers contributing has remained flat. If everyone reading this gave our End-of-Year campaign a tax-deductible contribution right now, we would start 2018 strong.
Michelman of the ACLU agreed, noting that "for nearly a year these people have been under the cloud of felony charges that have turned their lives upside down, subjecting them to the anxiety and expense of defending themselves against charges that should never have been brought."
"No one should have to fear arrest or prosecution for coming to the nation's capital to express opinions peacefully, no matter what those opinions may be," Michelman concluded. "We hope that the U.S. Attorney's Office gets the message and moves quickly to drop all remaining changes against peaceful demonstrators."
*(Jake Johnson writes for [Common Dreams](http://commondreams.org) … where this report originated.)*
*-cw*
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/116 "USA Radio Museum - Wide")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/107 "LA DWP | Save $4K, Green | Priority Ad")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/82 "LA DWP #2 (Power Savers)")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/97 "Home - LA DWP #2 (Pay Water Bill Help)")
## Get The News In Your Email Inbox Mondays & Thursdays
Email
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/110 "Something You Should Know")
---
## Featured CityWatch Stories
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/election-2024/33710-bass-is-out-raman-is-in-is-los-angeles-trading-failure-for-a-bigger-crisis)
### [Bass Is Out. Raman Is In. Is Los Angeles Trading Failure for a Bigger Crisis?](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/election-2024/33710-bass-is-out-raman-is-in-is-los-angeles-trading-failure-for-a-bigger-crisis)
THE BOTTOM LINE - Karen Bass lost the confidence of Los Angeles voters. Nithya Raman won their support. But can a new m…
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/voices/33687-first-test-of-next-governor-s-leadership-demand-a-full-forensic-audit-of-bullet-train)
### [First Test of Next Governor`s Leadership: Demand a Full Forensic Audit of Bullet Train](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/voices/33687-first-test-of-next-governor-s-leadership-demand-a-full-forensic-audit-of-bullet-train)
NICK’S VIEW - For a case study in lost public trust and squandered taxpayer money, look no further than California’s hi…
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/voices/33698-a-great-night-for-america-and-a-warning-to-both-parties)
### [A Great Night for America—and a Warning to Both Parties](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/voices/33698-a-great-night-for-america-and-a-warning-to-both-parties)
FRED TALK - The opinions in this column are solely mine and I stand by them. I did not write yesterday because I wanted…
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33704-nithyas-budget-buzz-saw)
### [Nithya’s Budget Buzz Saw](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33704-nithyas-budget-buzz-saw)
LA WATCHDOG - Nithya Raman, our new mayor, will inherit a budget that is a river of red ink. According to the First Fi…
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33709-progress-not-presto-chango)
### [Progress, Not Presto-Chango](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33709-progress-not-presto-chango)
IN MY VIEW - If We Want People Off the Streets, We Have to Give Them Somewhere to Go. I was about five years old, wa…
---
## [ ERIC PREVEN'S NOTEBOOK ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/eric-preven-s-notebook)
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/eric-preven-s-notebook/31760-the-28-lie)### [The $28 Lie](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/eric-preven-s-notebook/31760-the-28-lie)
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/eric-preven-s-notebook/31737-the-county-duty-to-cover-up)### [The County Duty to Cover Up](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/eric-preven-s-notebook/31737-the-county-duty-to-cover-up)
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/eric-preven-s-notebook/31689-the-optics-emergency)### [The Optics Emergency](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/eric-preven-s-notebook/31689-the-optics-emergency)
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/eric-preven-s-notebook/31661-faith-fear-and-microphonics)### [Faith, Fear, and Microphonics](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/eric-preven-s-notebook/31661-faith-fear-and-microphonics)
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/eric-preven-s-notebook/31616-long-beach-edition-smart-speaker-takes-the-wheel)### [Long Beach Edition “Smart Speaker Takes the Wheel”](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/eric-preven-s-notebook/31616-long-beach-edition-smart-speaker-takes-the-wheel)