A Southern California college professor will stand trial for involuntary manslaughter and battery in the death of a Jewish counter-protester during demonstrations over the Israel-Hamas war last year. The decision was made by Superior Court Judge Ryan Wright after a two-day preliminary hearing, determining that there is enough evidence to try the accused individual.
The incident occurred during a confrontation at an event that initially began as a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Thousand Oaks, a suburb northwest of Los Angeles. The accused, a 51-year-old professor of computer science at Moorpark College, allegedly struck the victim with a megaphone, causing him to fall backward and hit his head on the pavement. The victim, aged 69, passed away the following day at a hospital.
The accused faces charges of involuntary manslaughter and battery causing serious bodily injury, with special allegations of personally inflicting great bodily harm on each count. If convicted on all charges, the accused could potentially face a sentence of over four years in prison.
Following the incident, the accused posted bail of $50,000. Attempts to reach the accused's lawyer for comment were unsuccessful at the time of reporting. It was noted that the accused had expressed pro-Palestinian views on social media platforms, many of which were removed in the aftermath of the victim's death.
