A California judge sentenced Loay Abdel Fattah Alnaji to one year in county jail and two years probation for the involuntary manslaughter of Jewish pro-Israel protester Paul Kessler, 69, during dueling demonstrations in Thousand Oaks in November 2023. Prosecutors had sought a state prison sentence and formally objected to the decision as too lenient.
A California judge on Thursday sentenced Loay Abdel Fattah Alnaji to one year in county jail and two years of probation after he pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the 2023 death of Jewish pro-Israel protester Paul Kessler. The 69-year-old Kessler died after being struck with a megaphone during dueling pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Thousand Oaks, then falling and suffering a fatal head injury.
Prosecutors had argued for a state prison sentence and formally objected to the court's decision as too lenient, according to court records. In a statement read during the sentencing hearing, Kessler's widow described the grief as "relentless."
As The Zioneer reported, Jewish groups criticized the sentence, saying it signaled that violence against Jewish protesters is tolerated. The case drew national attention to tensions surrounding the Israel-Hamas war as reflected in American public discourse.
3 developments
- StrongFormer soccer player sentenced to 1 year in prison for running over protesters in Tel Aviv
- DevelopingCourt sentences Hilo Khalil to 25 years for 2020 murder of Israeli teen in Nahariya
- DevelopingIsraeli court reinstates conviction of officer who assaulted photographer
- DevelopingDefense minister leans toward erasing Elor Azaria's criminal record, report says
Source and signal
- Internal intake