Justice department drops cases against LA protesters after officers caught making false claims

Revealed: records show border patrol gave inaccurate testimony about people it jailed. Prosecutors now face ‘embarrassing’ dismissalsUS immigration officers made false and misleading statements in their reports about several Los Angeles protesters they arrested during the massive demonstrations that rocked the city in June, according to federal law enforcement files obtained by the Guardian.The officers’ testimony was cited in at least five cases filed by the US Department of Justice amid the unrest. The justice department has charged at least 26 people with “assaulting” and “impeding” federal officers and other crimes during the protests over immigration raids. Prosecutors, however, have since been forced to dismiss at least eight of those felonies, many of them which relied on officers’ inaccurate reports, court records show.Out of nine “assault” and “impeding” felony cases the justice department filed immediately after the start of the protests and promoted by the attorney general, Pam Bondi, prosecutors dismissed seven of them soon after filing the charges.In reports that led to the detention and prosecution of at least five demonstrators, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents made false statements about the sequence of events and misrepresented incidents captured on video.One DHS agent accused a protester of shoving an officer, when footage appeared to show the opposite: the officer forcefully pushed the protester.One indictment named the wrong defendant, a stunning error that has jeopardized one of the government’s most high-profile cases. Continue reading...

Comments

World news

What to know about Justice Maria Carroccia, the judge who acquitted the five Team Canada players

National Post

EU vowed $600B US economy investment from Trump trade deal. Hours later, European bloc admitted it can’t back that promise

43 minutes ago

Wallis Annenberg, billionaire philanthropist who backed arts, science and other causes, dies at 86

Independent

Comments

Similar News

What to know about Justice Maria Carroccia, the judge who acquitted the five Team Canada players

Canada’s justice system is bringing itself into disrepute: Full Comment podcast

Jamie Sarkonak: The Law Commission of Canada’s radical mission to decolonize justice

Justice department deputy head to interview Ghislaine Maxwell again in Florida

3 Supreme Court justices just said they’re fine with race discrimination in elections

The Latest: Justice Department to meet with Epstein’s former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell

Justice department forms ‘strike force’ to investigate Obama over 2016 election

US justice department officials reportedly prepare to meet with Ghislaine Maxwell

Justice department official to meet Epstein accomplice Maxwell

‘This wasn’t justice’: Family of Kaylee Goncalves furious at Bryan Kohberger prosecutor’s plea deal in Idaho coed murders

Brazilian Supreme Court justice threatens to arrest Bolsonaro

Top justice department official plans meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell amid Epstein files crisis – US politics live

‘How is this justice?’ Poilievre, Conservative MPs show support for Freedom Convoy leaders ahead of sentencing

Why two justices could hand Republicans their own ‘Ginsburg moment’ next year

Trump’s team wanted Kilmar Abrego Garcia to face ‘American justice.’ He could be deported again before trial

Argentines commemorate 1994 Jewish centre bombing, demand justice

US justice department asks to unseal grand jury transcripts in Epstein case

Trump tells justice department to release Epstein testimony

Trump resists bipartisan calls to release Justice Department files on Jeffrey Epstein

Justice Department requests lists of all noncitizen inmates being held in California jails

World news

What to know about Justice Maria Carroccia, the judge who acquitted the five Team Canada players

Exclusive: SpaceX employee claims he was fired for flagging ‘despicable’ safety practices that put lives at risk

Trump gives Starmer green light to recognise Palestinian state

CIA director suggests Hillary Clinton could face criminal prosecution as part of Obama ‘Russiagate’ investigation

First the Melania Opera House now the world: Republicans looks to rename entire Kennedy Center after Trump

Pete Buttigieg says Democratic Party’s attachment to two words handed Trump the White House in 2024

FBI investigates death of passenger onboard Carnival cruise ship

Trump’s hand makeup is back during Scotland trip as he deals with chronic venous insufficiency

EU vowed $600B US economy investment from Trump trade deal. Hours later, European bloc admitted it can’t back that promise

Wallis Annenberg, billionaire philanthropist who backed arts, science and other causes, dies at 86

Trump's Golden Dome missile-defence push on Canada leaves Ottawa with few good options

Bezos backs basic EV pick-up where radio, back seats and power windows will cost you extra

Nancy Mace admits she loves watching YouTube videos of ICE agents dragging people from court for deportation

ROTC cadet, 22, dies during summer training program in Fort Knox

Trump’s biggest GOP critic in Congress became his MAGA biggest fan. Now he could lose her to governor bid

Van showing Trump and Epstein picture driven round Aberdeen as US president visits Scotland

Texas corrections officer waited hours before calling for medics after learning of inmate’s stabbing, cops say

Three killed as flash floods force hundreds of evacuations in Romania

Can air drops solve the Gaza crisis? Aid agencies are sceptical

Pastor and wife charged with $1m fraud after ‘God told him’ to sell crypto to his flock and spent it on vacations

Why even Trump isn’t buying Netanyahu’s preposterous claim on Gaza’s starvation crisis

Trump’s dramatic shift on Middle East policy is another diplomatic triumph for Starmer

Several reported injuries after shooting outside Reno casino, police say suspect is in custody

Trump-Epstein live: Ghislaine Maxwell files Supreme Court appeal after president says he turned down island invite

Venezuelan men deported to notorious CECOT prison say they were raped and beaten by guards

Trump says there is ‘real starvation’ in Gaza in direct rebuke to Netanyahu

England soccer heroine Hannah Hampton reveals heartbreak at loss of grandfather

Why more British tourists are ditching Mallorca

How Lucy Bronze played through Euro 2025 with a broken leg – according to scientists

Prince George’s Lionesses absence was a bad look

Forget Bobby Moore, Leah Williamson is the greatest England captain of all time

England consider three changes for fifth India Test

What to do (and avoid) in extreme heat

Ghislaine Maxwell files Supreme Court brief appealing Epstein conviction

'A nasty person': Trump reignites row with Sadiq Khan as Starmer responds

‘Dark day’: French PM says EU’s Trump trade deal is a ‘submission’

Grizzly attack near Creston leaves man with ‘significant’ injuries

‘Death to Trump’: EasyJet flight to Scotland diverted after bomb threat

Passengers flee smoking plane on emergency slides after aborted takeoff in Denver

Police hunt for suspect after couple killed hiking with daughters in Arkansas

Forensic doctor's sickening update as girl, 3, found dead on Greek beach

‘The whole thing was a fake’: Trump says Democrats could have ‘put things in’ the Epstein file

Trump says he’ll start clock on new Ukraine ceasefire deadline ‘tonight or tomorrow’

Trump says he turned down a trip to notorious Epstein island where abuse happened: ‘One of my very good moments’

‘Pretty substantial distraction’: Trump annoyed Epstein is dominating agenda but won’t create ‘spectacle’ with firings

US-EU trade deal: Key takeaways from agreement struck by President Trump and Ursula von der Leyen

Marcos says stronger alliances make Philippines safer amid China tensions, pledges reforms at home

‘Her heart’s too big’: Mom killed by falling tree branch as she camped out in shade at daughter’s softball tournament

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Trump says Putin has ‘10 or 12 days’ to reach a ceasefire deal

Celebrity birthdays for the week of Aug. 3-9

Frightening new TV series shows what China’s invasion of Taiwan could look like

Elite Afghan soldiers trained by MI6 face ‘savage’ Taliban attacks after data leak

How new Ofsted rating system will affect house prices near top schools

Nigel Farage refuses to guarantee the state pension triple lock

I worked with Jeremy Corbyn – his new party is good news for Labour

Men – it’s time to admit women’s sport is better

How the US-EU trade deal wards off more escalation but could raise costs for companies and consumers