The California court of appeal justices reaffirm a decision by San Luis Obispo superior court judge Matthew Guerrero. Dan Dow may not prosecute BLM protesters.
You may remember that in San Luis Obispo two years ago, BLM protesters walked onto the 101 freeway and stopped traffic. During the protest, leader Tianna Arata ignored promises she’d made to the San Luis police chief to stay off the freeway. One car blocked by the BLM protesters carried a mother in labor trying to get to the hospital. She was not allowed to get through the road block.
The appeals court justices agree with Guerrero citing a campaign email sent on Dan Dow’s behalf that he was “Leading the fight against the wacky defund police movement.” Judge Guerrero called it a clear conflict of interest.
Arata faces 13 misdemeanors related to the protest, including false imprisonment, obstructing a public thoroughfare, and resisting arrest.
SLO county district attorney Dan Dow says he may appeal the ruling.
