Santa Clara County DA kicked off Stanford protesters case

"Judge Kelley Paul announced at the Hall of Justice in San Jose that the case will be handed off to California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office. The judge kicked off Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen from prosecuting five pro-Palestinian protesters, who argued that Rosen's accusations of antisemitism prevented them from having a fair trial. The ruling set the prosecution aside and transferred responsibility to the state attorney general’s office."

"The Jewish Community Relations Council said the ruling has "validated the defense and their supporters' ongoing campaign to smear one of our state's highest-ranking Jewish officials" and urged Bonta to appeal. "Generations of American Jews in positions of public trust have all too often been treated as suspect or inherently conflicted," the council said in a statement. The council framed the removal as part of a broader pattern affecting Jewish officials in public roles."

"Rosen sent a fundraising email to 620 members of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee in Los Angeles on Dec. 5, according to records subpoenaed by Deputy Public Defender Avi Singh. "My parents taught my brother and me to love four things: America, the State of Israel, the Jewish people and Judaism," Rosen wrote. The email included a donation button and a link to a Los Angles Times article about the case, with the headline "Felony charges for pro-Palestinian Stanford students? Trump will love this," and Rosen raised $12,000 that month."

"Five protesters - German Gonzalez, Maya Burke, Taylor McCann, Hunter Taylor-Black and Amy Zhai - are facing felony vandalism and conspiracy charges. Six more protesters accepted pretrial plea deals or alternative sentences. A trial from Jan. 9 to Feb. 13 ended with jurors divided 8-4 for guilt on the conspiracy and 9-3 for guilt on the vandalism. Following the verdict, Rosen said he would push for a retrial to have the five take responsibility for an est"

Judge Kelley Paul removed Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen from prosecuting five pro-Palestinian protesters facing felony vandalism and conspiracy charges. The case was reassigned to California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office. The protesters argued that Rosen’s accusations of antisemitism prevented them from receiving a fair trial. The Jewish Community Relations Council criticized the ruling, calling it validation of a campaign to smear a high-ranking Jewish official, and urged an appeal. Court records cited a fundraising email Rosen sent to AIPAC members that included a donation button and a link to a Los Angeles Times article about the case. A prior trial ended with jurors divided on guilt, and Rosen indicated he would seek a retrial.

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