"Racketeering charges against 61 people indicted as co-conspirators in the Stop Cop City movement were dismissed on December 30, marking a significant victory for those facing prosecution in the years after the movement's peak. The dismissal comes after more than two years of attempted prosecution that sought to convict protesters who opposed Atlanta's sprawling police training facility, known as Cop City, as an organized criminal enterprise."
"But Tuesday's news came as a breath of fresh air for those facing charges. "When we got the oral decision in September we celebrated, we were so relieved and so happy," Xavier de Janon, a lawyer representing former RICO defendant Jamie Marsicano and member of the People's Law Collective, told Unicorn Riot. "When we got the written order yesterday it was like reliving those moments.""
RICO charges against 61 alleged Stop Cop City co-conspirators were dismissed on December 30 after more than two years of prosecution attempts. The prosecution originally sought to treat protesters opposing Atlanta's Cop City police training facility as an organized criminal enterprise under Georgia's RICO. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Kevin Farmer indicated in September he planned to dismiss the charges before issuing a written order. Defendants and defense attorneys endured delays, changing tactics, and procedural missteps during the proceedings. Defense argued the attorney general lacked authority to bring Georgia RICO charges without governor approval. The state could refile with the governor's permission and may appeal the ruling.
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