Protection attorneys targeted their case on the motivations of the protesters, who they stated have been performing out of a humanitarian concern throughout what they view as an ongoing genocide, and concern that doing nothing would result in extra struggling in Gaza.
Anthony Brass, one of many attorneys, stated the actions got here solely after Stanford leaders ignored months of calls for for dialogue about divestment from corporations supporting Israel’s army.
The college put the scholars in an “inconceivable state of affairs,” he stated throughout opening statements.
Prosecutor Rob Baker instructed the jury that the case was easy, and stated protesters deliberate and ready for his or her motion, together with bringing tools and instruments to dam doorways and canopy cameras. He stated they precipitated tens of hundreds of {dollars} in injury.
Baker, in his closing arguments, instructed the jury that their verdict “doesn’t imply that you’re supporting genocide” or that they don’t assist Palestinians, and he stated he believed the defendants have been good individuals.
Singh stated Friday he hopes the DA’s workplace takes one other take a look at the motivations of the protesters in its determination to retry the case.
“There was no query or dispute that these individuals have been motivated by a deep dedication to human rights. And the district lawyer’s workplace ought to take into account that as they weigh whether or not the pursuits of justice assist bringing a brand new case,” Singh stated.
Whereas hundreds of protesters have been arrested at school campuses throughout the nation for protest-related exercise over the Gaza warfare in 2024, few of the circumstances noticed felony fees filed, and most of the lesser fees have been finally dropped.
Attorneys for the defendants and their supporters accused the Santa Clara County District Legal professional’s Workplace of looking for overly harsh punishment to sit back political protests and speech associated to the plight of Palestinians, which the DA’s workplace refuted.
The case additionally noticed heated pretrial motions over whether or not and the way typically the phrase “genocide” could possibly be used throughout the trial.
A listening to to set a date for a brand new trial is scheduled for Feb. 25.
