L.A. D.A. and Sheriff file new charges against violent protesters
'We will fiercely protect the rights of Angelenos to peacefully assemble,' Hochman said in a news conference to announce the charges. 'But once someone crosses into violence, destruction, or assault, they are no longer a protester – they are a criminal.'
Hochman indicated prosecutors expect 'dozens and dozens of additional cases' to be filed in the weeks ahead as authorities review video and social media evidence.
He highlighted five cases during the announcement, with charges ranging from assault on officers to burglary, vandalism, and weapons possession:
Juan Rodriguez of Gardena is charged with felony assault and resisting arrest for allegedly distributing and throwing commercial-grade fireworks at police, injuring at least one officer. He faces more than six years in prison.
Luis and Georgina Ruíz-Roberyaro are accused of driving motorcycles into officers at a skirmish line, causing injuries. Each could face six years and four months in prison.
Tammy Paulk and Raven Mitchell face felony burglary and grand theft charges after allegedly looting a Nike store on South Broadway.
Ulysses Sanchez, a convicted felon and alleged 'third-striker,' is accused of reckless driving and weapons possession. He faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted.
Christopher Gonzalez and Jocelyn Johnson are charged with felony conspiracy and vandalism after allegedly defacing an apartment complex and the Hall of Justice.
Luna emphasized law enforcement's readiness and resolve.
'We have no tolerance for anarchists who come to create chaos. If you hurt our officers, destroy property, or assault others, you will be prosecuted,' he said. Luna also noted the support of the U.S. Attorney for possible federal charges.
Both officials reiterated that the vast majority of L.A. residents and protesters remained peaceful. Hochman added that investigators are reviewing social media and video evidence, warning that arrests will continue. 'If you committed a crime and think you got away with it — think again,' he said.
For those who wish to express their views peacefully, both leaders affirmed their full support for First Amendment rights.
'But violence will never be tolerated,' Luna said.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Axios
2 hours ago
- Axios
GOP populists plot to repeatedly bypass Mike Johnson
House Speaker Mike Johnson 's (R-La.) right flank is trying to bypass him repeatedly next month by forcing votes on releasing the Epstein files and banning congressional stock trading. Why it matters: The tool these lawmakers are planning to use — the discharge petition — has been the source of growing controversy in the House in recent years. A discharge petition allows the House rank-and-file to force a vote on any piece of legislation if at least 218 members — a majority of the chamber — sign on. Top Republicans have discouraged the use of the maneuver, arguing it would effectively turn over control of the House floor to Democrats, but GOP populists have increasingly ignored that guidance. State of play: Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) wants to force a vote on Rep. Tim Burchett's (R-Tenn.) bill to ban members of Congress, their spouses and dependent children from trading or owning stocks. Tamping down congressional stock trading has been a cause célèbre for lawmakers in both parties for years, but congressional leaders have largely stonewalled their efforts to secure a vote. Another discharge petition from Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) on forcing the release of the Justice Department's documents on Jeffrey Epstein is set to trigger a vote within days of the House's return to session next month. Between the lines: The Epstein petition is widely expected to obtain 218 signatures, with most Democrats and several right-wing Republicans likely to sign on. Luna's petition may be more contentious, sources said, as there have already months of bipartisan negotiations around carefully crafting a stock trading bill that can pass with support from leadership. Several Democrats told Axios that Luna may not get the bipartisan support she needs to pass her bill unless she coordinates with that bipartisan group. Flashback: Luna previously secured 218 signatures this spring for a vote on allowing House members who are new parents to vote by proxy for up to three months, but the vote never came to pass. Johnson slipped a provision into an unrelated procedural measure to kill the discharge, but it failed. He then scrapped House votes until Luna agreed to a compromise. One House Republican involved in that saga, speaking on the condition of anonymity, predicted that Johnson would have a tougher time trying to spike the Epstein and stock trading discharge petitions. That is "much harder to do on these issues since they've had a lot more national attention," the lawmaker told Axios, "Epstein especially." Zoom out: The Epstein push is a clear revolt against both President Trump, who has dismissed the matter, and Johnson, who has called for transparency but quashed several rogue efforts to release the files. Johnson has indicated his support for a stock trading ban, but it's unclear if he would support doing so through a discharge petition that could undermine his authority. Trump, for his part, has voiced support for a stock trading ban in theory, but opposed a bipartisan Senate bill that would have extended the ban to future presidents and vice presidents. A spokesperson for Johnson did not respond to a request for comment.
Newsweek
7 hours ago
- Newsweek
Does Melania Trump's $1B Lawsuit Threat Against Hunter Biden Have Merit?
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Legal analysts weighed in on whether first lady Melania Trump's billion-dollar defamation lawsuit threat against Hunter Biden has merit. Why It Matters Trump threatened to file a lawsuit against Hunter Biden, the son of former President Joe Biden, accusing him of making "false, defamatory, disparaging, and inflammatory statements" during an interview in which he claimed Jeffrey Epstein introduced her to her husband, President Donald Trump. If she follows through with that threat, the case could test the limits of defamation law involving high-profile individuals such as the first family. The Trump administration has been under scrutiny over its handling of a trove of documents and files related to Epstein, the disgraced financier who died by suicide in a New York federal jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on charges of sex trafficking. There have long been rumors of an Epstein "client list," and Trump campaigned on greater transparency on the case. However, Trump's Justice Department has not released those files, fueling political backlash against him. What To Know Hunter Biden made those claims about Melania Trump during an interview with journalist Andrew Callaghan earlier this month, citing an article from The Daily Beast based on claims by Trump biographer Michael Wolff. The Daily Beast retracted that story after receiving a letter from the first lady's lawyer challenging its headline and framing. Melania Trump's lawyer, Alejandro Brito, sent the letter to Hunter Biden and his lawyer, Abbe Lowell, on August 6, 2025, reported Fox News Digital. He said Biden's comments are "extremely salacious and have been widely disseminated throughout various digital mediums." First lady Melania Trump attends the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on July 18, 2024. First lady Melania Trump attends the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on July 18, an interview with Callaghan on Thursday, Biden declined to apologize, saying, "F*** that. That's not going to happen." Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani told Newsweek that in theory, Melania Trump has a "strong case against Hunter Biden" if his statement was indeed false. "As a public figure, the first lady would have to prove malice, that the younger Biden knew the statement was false or that he acted with reckless disregard for the truth. But if Epstein did not introduce the president and first lady, that would not be difficult to prove," Rahmani said. If the first lady files the lawsuit, Biden would likely raise First Amendment arguments, including that political speech receives strong free speech protections. Practically speaking, however, Rahmani said he does not believe Melania Trump will file. If she does, she and her lawyers may look for a quick settlement. "The president has been very litigious when it comes to these types of cases, but truth is an absolute defense to defamation. A civil complaint puts how Donald and Melania met and their relationship with Epstein, if any, at issue," Rahmani said. "That means the president and first lady would have to sit for a deposition and answer questions about Epstein. Hunter may dig in his heels and push the case to trial or the brink, like he did with his criminal cases." A trial about the Trumps and Epstein would be a "circus," and no one wants to be associated with Epstein, Rahmani said. However, former federal prosecutor Shanlon Wu said he believes Melania Trump does not have a strong case against Hunter Biden. "It's pretty tough for a public figure like a first lady to be able to claim defamation," Wu said. The case could also be difficult to prove because the statements originate from Wolff's book, he said. She would not only have to prove that the claim is false, but that Hunter Biden knew or should have known it was false. "It would be different if he was the only person starting this rumor or something, but given that there's been other people—it may be factually inaccurate, but there are other sources publicly available—it becomes more of a defamation suit based on the idea you're not allowed to reference other publicly reported stories," Wu said. He added that a defamation trial would not "be very helpful at all" to the scrutiny the Trump administration has faced over Epstein. What People Are Saying Melania Trump's lawyer, Alejandro Brito, wrote in his notice to Hunter Biden: "Failure to comply will leave Mrs. Trump with no choice but to pursue any and all legal rights and remedies available to her to recover the overwhelming financial and reputational harm that you have caused her to suffer." Hunter Biden said on Channel Five: "What I said was what I have heard and seen reported and written, primarily from Michael Wolff, but also dating back all the way to 2019 when The New York Times, I think, Annie Carney and Maggie Haberman reported that sources said that Jeffrey Epstein claimed to be the person to introduce Donald Trump to Melania at that time. "And then I think excerpted in a book that was published in Vanity Fair, and I think it's been repeated by journalists and authors since then. But the primary source was the interviews that Michael Wolff has been conducting, in which he has, actually, tapes of I think hours and hours of interviews with Jeffrey Epstein. So, you know, fact of the matter is that, you know, I don't think that these threats of a lawsuit add up to anything other than a design destruction because it's not about who introduced whom to who. I don't know how that in any way rises to the level of defamation to begin with." Nick Clemmens, an aide to Melania Trump, previously told Newsweek: "First lady Melania Trump's attorneys are actively ensuring immediate retractions and apologies by those who spread malicious, defamatory falsehoods. The true account of how the first lady met President Trump is in her best-selling book, Melania." What Happens Next Whether Melania Trump will end up filing the lawsuit against Hunter Biden is yet to be seen. If so, it would garner significant attention while testing the First Amendment and defamation law.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Motorcyclist killed in crash on Hampden Avenue: Police
DENVER (KDVR) — Police are investigating a deadly motorcycle crash that occurred on Sunday night, according to a post on X from the Denver Police Department. The crash involved multiple vehicles and a motorcycle, police said. Polis declares emergency after wildfire balloons in 6 hours The motorcycle rider was pronounced dead at the scene. East Hampden Avenue near South Yosemite Street is closed in both directions while investigators are on the scene. Police did not report how many others were injured, but did say that occupants were taken to the hospital. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
