California professor accused of killing pro-Israel protester will ‘likely’ avoid lengthy prison sentence
The Jewish community was outraged after the California district attorney’s office signaled that a state university professor could avoid a lengthy prison sentence after an incident in which he hit an elderly pro-Israel protester with a bullhorn, causing him to fall to the ground and later die in a hospital from blunt force trauma, the coroner said.
Loay Abdel Fattah Alnaji, 53, an anti-Israel public university professor, was ordered to appear in court after he hit the head of pro-Israel protester Paul Kessler (69), who was standing across the street, with a megaphone during pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian protests in Thousand Oaks, Ventura County, California, in 2023. Kessler fell to the ground on his back after being shot. The coroner said he died of blunt force trauma shortly after Alnaji struck him in the head, sending him to the hospital.
The incident happened in the background of the incident. Israel-Hamas war tension and concerns about the rise of antisemitism in the United States and more broadly. According to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, Alnaji was initially facing up to four years in prison as he fought the charges against him in this matter, but on Tuesday he reversed course and the court “indicated that it was likely to place Alnaji under official supervision with up to 365 days in prison” and said it was unhappy with the move.
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Authorities said Paul Kessler could be seen hours earlier at the intersection of Westlake and Thousand Oaks Boulevard, delivering the blow that caused Alnaji to fall to the ground and cause fatal injuries.
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Ventura County Superior Court Judge Derek Malan, who offered Alnaji probation if he changed his plea, reportedly likened the altercation to “two old men having a disagreement and an accident occurring,” defense attorney Ron Bamieh said after noting that the offer came after numerous discussions between him and the judge, according to the Ventura County Star.
A defense source familiar with the case said the district attorney’s office was also involved in those talks, despite public statements saying they were unhappy with the outcome. The defense source said the district attorney’s office needed to take a tougher stance for political reasons.
“Alnaji should be sentenced to prison for his violent behavior, and our office strongly opposes a lesser sentence,” said District Attorney Erik Nasarenko. “While no sentence can fully account for the Kessler family’s loss, a prison sentence highlights the seriousness of this crime and will deter others from committing similar acts of violence.”
The prosecutor also said Kessler’s family opposed the sentence and wanted the maximum sentence.
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On November 5, Alnaji can be seen watching Paul Kessler’s ambulance car heading to a nearby hospital.
However, the defense source said before this week’s defense that the victim’s family wanted the case to be concluded quickly and quietly, without a trial, and that they did not have a strong opinion on the punishment. The source also disputed claims that anyone watched the entire incident and insisted there were numerous contradictions in eyewitness accounts, conditional on the claim that Alnaji was the attacker.
“Mr. Alnaji made a thoughtful decision today in light of his deep concerns for the well-being of his family and social peace. The tragedy that befell Mr. Kessler is geopolitical tensions “Mr. Kessler’s siege of Israel and Gaza has led Mr. Alnaji to reconsider a full trial,” Bamieh said in a statement. “Mr. Kessler’s aggressive behavior, his history of advocating violence and hostile tactics at pro-Palestinian rallies, and most importantly, his brainstem condition—all of these facts likely could have changed the outcome of the case.”
The defense argued that there was a pre-existing condition. brain damage In fact, what caused Kessler’s death was not blunt force trauma, as determined by the forensic doctor.
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Bamieh concluded: “To those who characterize Mr. Alnaji as a violent man who deliberately struck a helpless victim, I simply say this: They are either uninformed about the facts of this case or are pursuing an agenda that has nothing to do with justice. The record tells a different story.”
Pictured is the mugshot of Loay Alnaji, who was arrested at his home in Moorpark, California, around 7:40 a.m. yesterday morning. State university computer science professor faces manslaughter and battery charges in death of pro-Israel protester Paul Kessler
Jonathan Oswaks, Kessler’s friend who was with him at the rally when the incident occurred, told the Jewish Journal that news of the sentencing was “extremely frustrating.”
“I’m not a lawyer, but the way this incident was handled raises serious questions for me. It sends a disturbing message about accountability,” he said in an interview with the Jewish Journal.
Oswaks recounted moments from the incident in an interview with the news outlet, noting that pro-Palestinian protesters far outnumbered them that day. After the couple broke up, she said, people started approaching her, standing inches away from her face and using a megaphone to yell into her ear.
“When I tell you I’ve never experienced this level of hate in my life, I haven’t,” he said. “I told them to get out of my area. They backed up briefly, then started again. I made it clear they had to stay away, and eventually they did.”
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On November 7, 2023, a memorial service was held for Paul Kessler at a gas station in Ventura County, California. The 69-year-old man died days ago after an altercation with a pro-Palestinian protester.
After news of the settlement broke, the Anti-Defamation League expressed displeasure with the potential sentencing outcome, arguing that it “emboldened others to reach the agreement.” Acting out of anger towards the Jewish community“
Rabbi Noah Farkas, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles, said “we would have liked a harsher sentence,” according to the LA Times, but welcomed “the admission of guilt for this heinous crime.”
“Our hope is that today’s news will help bring closure to his family and give our community the ability to demonstrate safely,” Farkas said. he added.
Alnaji’s sentencing is scheduled for June 25, and he remains at home after posting $50,000 bail.
Original article source: California professor accused of killing pro-Israel protester will ‘likely’ avoid long prison sentence
