No charges for 51 of those arrested at Mrak Hall

by Dave Jones
December 11, 2009

Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig announced on Nov. 27 that his office would not file criminal charges “at this time” against 51 of the 52 people who were arrested during a protest at Mrak Hall the night of Nov. 19.

“While criminal charges may be filed for up to one year after the date of the alleged violation, it is our hope that future student demonstrations will comply with the law and eliminate any need for the district attorney’s involvement at all,” Reisig said in a statement.

Reisig’s decision came two days after he spoke with Chancellor Linda Katehi and Police Chief Annette Spicuzza, via conference call. They talked with the district attorney in accordance with an agreement reached the night of Nov. 24 with another large contingent of demonstrators in Mrak Hall.

At that time, the university agreed to ask the district attorney to strongly consider his option of not filing charges against the 52 people who were arrested.

Reisig agreed in 51 cases—all involving alleged trespassing for refusing to leave Mrak Hall after its 5 p.m. closing time. The suspects, mostly students, had joined a demonstration sparked by fee increases approved by the UC Board of Regents earlier in the day.

According to the district attorney’s statement, university officials said the protest did not result in any property damage, and they said there were no reports of violence or resistance among the 51 students arrested inside the building.

“Based on my discussions with Chancellor Katehi and Police Chief Spicuzza, the district attorney’s office will not be filing criminal charges at this time,” Reisig said in his statement.

He said his office was still reviewing the 52nd arrest—for alleged assault on a police officer outside Mrak Hall. As of the morning of Dec. 10, the district attorney’s office had not made a decision regarding the last case, according to Jonathan Raven, assistant chief deputy district attorney.

At the chancellor’s Fall Dialogue the night of Nov. 30, Assemblywoman Mariko Yamada commended the chancellor for speaking out “to protect those students who were arrested.”

Yamada, a Democrat whose district includes the campus, said she believes Katehi’s leadership affected the district attorney’s decision not to press charges, “and I want to thank her for that.”