Officer's criminal record a factor in dismissed charges against L.A. anti-ICE protesters

"A federal agent failed to disclose three criminal convictions to his bosses at the Department of Justice and misrepresented the nature of an alleged assault, according to court filings in two recent Los Angeles cases against protesters that ended with all charges dropped. The dismissals continue a nearly unprecedented streak of legal defeats for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles in cases that involve people accused of assaulting law enforcement during last year's demonstrations against the Trump administration's immigration policies."

"Ashleigh Brown and Jonathon Redondo-Rosales - two protesters involved in chaotic demonstrations outside the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown L.A. - were accused of assaulting a Federal Protective Service officer in August. The officer, whose agency is responsible for securing federal facilities, alleged Redondo-Rosales punched him in the face, according to a defense motion. Brown then hit him while interfering with attempts to arrest Redondo-Rosales, federal prosecutors alleged."

"Within two months, charges against Brown were dropped. In November, prosecutors announced they did not plan to call the officer, who was identified in court records at the time only as "Z.C.," to testify in the assault case against Redondo-Rosales, according to a motion filed by his attorney, Kacey McBroom. She said major issues with the officer's credibility crippled both cases."

Two protesters, Ashleigh Brown and Jonathon Redondo-Rosales, faced federal assault charges after chaotic demonstrations outside the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles. A Federal Protective Service officer alleged that Redondo-Rosales punched him and that Brown struck the officer while interfering with an arrest. Charges against Brown were dropped within two months. Prosecutors later notified defense that they would not call the officer, identified as "Z.C.," to testify against Redondo-Rosales. Defense counsel asserted that the officer failed to disclose three criminal convictions to DOJ supervisors and misrepresented the nature of an alleged assault. Major credibility problems with the officer crippled the prosecutions, prompting dismissals.

Read at Los Angeles Times