Dec. 22, 2017 – Photojournalist Alexei Wood and five other defendants who were arrested at an Inauguration Day protest in Washington, DC, were found not guilty of all charges on Dec. 21.
The trial, which began on Nov. 20, sparked fierce debate over journalists’ rights to do their jobs without fear of arrest, as well as other First Amendment issues and matters of law.
In her opening statement, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Kerkhoff admitted that there was no evidence the six defendants engaged in acts of violence, but said the government considered the entire group of protesters responsible for those acts.
More than 200 people, including eight other journalists, were arrested on Jan. 20, 2017, after windows were smashed. Wood was charged with inciting a riot and destruction of property and faced up to 61 years behind bars.
“Being near a newsworthy event is no crime for anyone, reporters included,” the Reporters Committee for Press Freedom wrote in a Feb. 17, 2017, letter to Kerkhoff regarding the arrest of Aaron Cantú, one of the reporters arrested on Inauguration Day. His case is scheduled for October.
“We question why charges are still pending and would like to know why a journalist faces indictment when it appears he was covering the protests at the time of his arrest,” the letter said. The charges against the other seven journalists (besides Cantú and Wood) were dropped shortly after the arrests.
NewsGuild President Bernie Lunzer praised the verdict, saying, “The acquittal on all charges is a victory for the right to protest and the right to report.” Despite the verdict, Justice Department lawyers appear ready to take the remaining defendants – nearly 200 – to trial, Ryan J. Reilly reported in the Huffington Post.