Live updates: Many arrested at Portland protests will not face charges, prosecutor says

By Emily Wax-Thibodeaux and Donna M. Owens
8/12/2020, 3:02:04 p.m.

People arrested in Portland since late May on nonviolent misdemeanor charges during the protests that have racked Oregon’s largest city for more than two months won’t be prosecuted.

The new policy recognizes the outrage and frustration over a history of racial injustice that has led to the city’s often violent protests and the practical realities of the court system, Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt said.

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8/12/2020, 9:08:23 a.m.

Many arrested at ongoing Portland protests will not face charges, prosecutor says

Many arrested at ongoing Portland protests will not face charges, prosecutor says
People arrested in Portland since late May on nonviolent misdemeanor charges during the protests that have racked Oregon’s largest city for more than two months won’t be prosecuted.

The new policy announced Tuesday recognizes the outrage and frustration over a history of racial injustice that has led to the city’s often violent protests and the practical realities of the court system, Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt said.

It is running more than two months behind in processing cases because of the coronavirus. As a result, at least several hundred people arrested over the past few months will not face criminal prosecution, according to statistics provided by Schmidt’s office.

The same no-prosecution policy applies to those arrested on similar charges in future demonstrations, he said.

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