Most DOJ Protest Cases End Without Felony Convictions

The Justice Department failed to secure a single felony conviction at trial in the 12 cases brought against protesters accused of assaulting federal officers during demonstrations last year in Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland and Washington, D.C. Across the 102 arrests, 41% of cases were dismissed and 34% were reduced to misdemeanors, while the remaining cases included guilty pleas, pending proceedings and other outcomes. The results have raised questions about rushed investigations and aggressive charging decisions made amid the Trump administration’s efforts to demonstrate a crackdown on attacks against federal law enforcement. Legal experts say the unusually poor record suggests prosecutors may have pursued charges that were not adequately supported by evidence, while three felony cases remain scheduled for trial this fall.