An immigration activist based in East Los Angeles who was previously indicted on allegations of supplying protesters with protective face shields during an assembly against ICE had his case dismissed by a federal judge. Alejandro Orellana, a 29-year-old member of Centro CSO, a community-oriented organization rooted in Boyle Heights, was arraigned with felony charges of conspiracy and assisting in civil disorder. A grand jury at a federal level was responsible for this indictment in June.
The unexpected twist in the story arrived when the prosecution, led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, requested the dismissal of the charges lodged against Orellana. Responding to the request, U.S. District Judge Serena Murillo issued a judgment of discharge on Wednesday. Along with the judgement, the order was given to exonorate his bond and the case against him was discharged with no prejudice (signifying a window for the case to be refiled in the future) at the discretion of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
No concrete justification was provided for this sudden reversal in position by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the office refrained from making further comments regarding the decision. The charges filed against Orellana were intended to be disposed of on Tuesday, as indicated by the formal motion filed by the prosecutors. The specifics regarding why the original accusations were seen as necessitating dismissal remain undisclosed.
The activist at the center of this story, Alejandro Orellana, asserted that safeguarding the community should not be viewed as a criminal act in his public statement. He expressed gratitude towards everyone nationwide who mustered their support in demanding the dismissal of his charges, contributing to this victory. His belief is rooted in the justice of their cause.
The official indictment against Orellana detailed an incident where he, along with no less than a couple of other individuals, circulated around downtown Los Angeles in a pickup truck. The group was reportedly giving out Uvex Bionic face shields – designed to offer protection against chemicals and airborne debris – along with other equipment. The audience for their distribution was congregated near the federal building situated on Los Angeles Street on the 9th of June, actively voicing their dissent.
This protest, seemingly against the federal establishment, ultimately led Orellana and his companions to become the focus of attention for the grand jury. The distribution of specialized protective equipment—designed to shield the protest participants from potential hazards during the protest— was viewed as an act of fueling civil disorder.
During Alejandro Orellana’s inaugural appearance in court, specific orders had been issued by the magistrate judge. Orellana, who served formerly as a U.S. Marine, was prescribed a radius of restriction where his presence would not be permissible. He was ordered to maintain a distance of at least 100 yards from federal buildings or agents unless the circumstances involved meeting his legal counsel or attending court appearances.
Centro CSO, the organization that Orellana is part of, perceives the course of events differently. According to their perspective, his arrest was a manifestation of ‘political repression’. They connect his political engagement and subsequent arrest, shedding a different light on the case. This assertion has added a layer of intrigue to the entire situation, sparking debates on the difference between active political participation and allegedly exacerbating civil disturbances.
The post East LA Activist’s Ice Protest Charges Dismissed appeared first on Real News Now.
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