Protesters Gathered Outside of the Courthouse Yesterday Following the Decision Not to Indict Anyone in Death of David Lawson
Aunna Bowllmann held a sign saying ‘Recall Flemming’. She said one of the reasons she showed up to protest was because of the racism in Humboldt County, adding “This was a modern day lynching.” [Photos and Video by Mark McKenna]
After Lawson was fatally stabbed in April of 2017, the community broke out in protests that at time closed down Arcata City Council meetings and contributed to the unsettled state of leadership at Arcata PD.
After Lawson was stabbed, Kyle Zoellner was arrested for his homicide. The judge dismissed the charges for insufficient evidence. In May of 2018, Zoellner filed suit against the City, the Police Department, and Tom Chapman, the Police Chief at the time alleging that police reports had been falsified, the city defamed him, and officers didn’t get him proper medical attention.
In addition, Charmaine Lawson, the mother of David Josiah Lawson, filed a lawsuit in November against many of the same defendants alleging failure to investigate and misrepresentations made to her about what was actually being done to investigate her son’s death.
Beth Wylie, left and Dave Carter, both of Eureka held up signs calling for Justice for Josiah yesterday.
This latest announcement late yesterday that a Criminal Grand Jury had been convened and, after investigating, had declined to indict anyone has again roiled the waters.
Yesterday, only a handful of protesters with hastily created signs had gathered at the courthouse after the late announcement but, as the news spreads and with nice weather predicted, protests could grow.
Charmaine Lawson, while declining comment to the North Coast Journal yesterday, said that this weekend she would be coming to Humboldt County.
Earlier Stories about David Josiah Lawson:
- 19-Year-Old HSU Student Dies After Stabbing in Arcata Early This Morning
- 23-Year-Old McKinleyville Resident Arrested in Connection with HSU Student’s Stabbing Death
- HSU Offers Students Who Witnessed Stabbing Death Amnesty for Breaking School Rules; Asks Cooperation With Police
- Arcata Police Not Releasing Photo of Suspect in Stabbing Death for Now
- APD Received Anonymous Email About Fatal Stabbing; Pleads With Writer to Come Forward
- Celebration of the Life of Stabbing Victim Will be Held at Humboldt State University Today; Racial Bias Alleged to Have Led to Death
- Hundreds Mourn Slain HSU Student at Thursday Vigil
- Uncle of Fatal Stabbing Suspect Writes Letter to the Editor Urging Community Re-examine Public Statements Made in the Case
- Family of Arcata Stabbing Suspect Claims the Real Killer Has Not Been Caught (Includes Timeline of Events as Presented in Public Statements by Those at the Party)
- HSU and Arcata Police Issue Statements Following Release of Kyle Zoellner in the Stabbing Death of David Josiah Lawson
- District Attorney’s Office Issues Statement as Defendant in Racially Charged Case Released
- Family of Kyle Zoellner Who Was Released Today in Stabbing Death Issues Statement to Family and Friends of Victim
- Justice for Josiah Gathering Keeps Arcata Lively Tonight; Another Protest Called for Tomorrow
- Letter to the Community of Arcata from Kyle Zoellner’s Uncle
- Chanting “‘Justice for Josiah,’ Protesters Gather at the Courthouse
- Family Announces $10,000 Reward for Information Leading to Conviction of Killer of David Josiah Lawson
- APD Chief and Victim’s Mother Offer Updates on the Stabbing Death of David Josiah Lawson
- Letter From Family Member Questions Testimony of Witnesses in Hearing About Kyle Zoellner’s Possible Role in the Death of David Josiah Lawson
- ‘Reckless Statements’ Were Made by Tom Parker, and Lawson Attorney, Shelley Mack, Writes Uncle of Kyle Zoellner in Letter to the Editor
- Protestors Take Over Arcata City Council Meeting Demanding Justice for Josiah
- A Deeper Look at Last Thursday’s Disruption of the Arcata City Council by Protesters Demanding That Tom Parker Be Asked Back to Help in the Josiah Lawson Case
- Mother of Josiah Lawson Claims DNA on Knife Identifies her Son’s ‘Murderer’, Calls for Justice
- Grand Jury ‘Declines’ to Indict Anyone for Stabbing Death of David Josiah Lawson
- Arcata Police Say They Will ‘Work to Identify the Suspect who Murdered David Josiah Lawson’ After Grand Jury Declines to Indict Anyone
Join the discussion! For rules visit: https://kymkemp.com/commenting-rules
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As in most of Humboldt s murder cases, no evidence no trial..
Good morning Kym, it’s indict not indite (headline). Feel free to delete my comment. ❤️ Thanks for all you do.
Thank you! Fixed now.
that didnt look like twenty people to me but i wasnt there
and black lives matter is a made up thing
https://youtu.be/10jImp04OkU
Mark McKenna, our photographer, said when he got there, about 20 people were protesting but he only began capturing images after about half left.
black lives matter case by case debunked
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEhUP4097JM
Watch my post get deleted. “ white lives matter!” Once again , only European Americans can be racist
Well I proved my self wrong. I just got karate chopped by kym ??
Aunna Bowllmann… said, “This was a modern day lynching.” Could someone explain this line of thinking? No lynching occured in any way shape or form. The closest thing that resembled this type of mob justice was the rush to racist accusations and arresting of the victim of a brutal attack.
I second this.
I third this. It irks me because I believe in most things these protesters do- social justice, a need to correct long-standing racist inequalities, treating people right regardless of gender or sexual orientation or color or religion….but when they say stuff like this it makes everybody look stupid! And why- to fire up an extreme and crazy drama? Welcome to America- where most murders don’t get solved whatever color you are (hint- if you are not also wealthy)!
It should give you insight to that line of thinking, she literally feels that this was a modern day lynching……….
Ouch! Nobody is saying anybody deserves to be in a septic tank! We are reacting to her over-the-top comparing a non-indictment with a lynching. And I think most of us are agreeing that we’ve had enough extremism from all sides…however nobody gets tossed into a septic tank- just made fun of is all.
I’ve been a green party member for life, on this issue I agree with you.
Yes, I agree. Im progressive and liberal and all that, but I think we need to look at this and a lot of other things, as based on facts, and not bring in these race cards like these protesters are doing. It only polarizes people. I think the evidence is pretty solid that Kyle did it, and my gut tells me he’s guilty. But let justice take its course. It’s better to convict no one than to convict the wrong person.
“I think the evidence is pretty solid that Kyle did it…” don’t you think he would have been indicted if there was any “solid” evidence against him? The only evidence with regards to Kyle is he was assaulted and slandered. If you have more information, please share.
he is the only one with a motive. he went there for a purpose. he had a car load of kitchen knives, he’s a meth head. this will for a fact become a stain on our community. do you know the difference between meth and cocaine? one of them allows you to go to bed at the end of the night.
He went there to pick up his girlfriend. The only thing consistent that came from eye witnesses is that Kyle was not being belligerent. The knife they found has not been linked to him in any way.
If he had done it, in his state, there is no way he could of wiped all traces of himself from that blade.
What state was he in? I thought he was sober? Why would his DNA be on the knife he stabbed someone else with? It’s really easy to wipe prints or wear gloves. Many materials don’t hold fingerprints also.
Hey man.. tell another version that makes any sense at all and I’ll entertain it. But you know damn well there isnt another story that makes sense. Just because there isnt enough evidence to convict the kid doesn’t mean he didn’t do it. And it doesn’t mean he won’t get what’s coming to him in the long run.
ok so you say kyle is a meth head. how do you know this? then you say he had motive. his girlfriend got punched in the face by a dude. i dont think YOU know how dna works and they did find a finger print and it wasnt kyles. he also didnt drive to the party with a bunch of kitchen knives. the cops went to his house to get his knives and claimed one was missing then after a few days they found the missing knife at the bottom of the bag that they had in evidence.
tax payer, try using the internet to your advantage. john Chiv has info on Kyle’s meth bust and his mom’s. she has been busted 3 times for meth. she has a different last name. and maybe you should re-read all the articles. kyle had work related knives in the back of his vehicle that was driven to this late night party to pick up his girlfriend. hence the motive.
“In 2013, Kyle Zoellner was arrested for the possession of meth where he pled no contest.
He received three years probation and was promised if he was to successfully complete his probation, the meth charges would be expunged from his record.”
Zoellner’s state was unconscious after a beating. He was in no state to wipe fingerprints and transport the knife to where it was found. Nobody ever claimed that he was wearing gloves and there was in fact a fingerprint found on the knife – not Zoellner’s.
@local observer, if Zoellner’s meth case from 2013 is relevant, Lawson’s involvement with cocaine is more relevant. That party was a coke party.
Being defamed as being guilty in a public forum and personal live ruined using school yard tactics to call out someone is the modius operandi of tyrants. So what you’re saying is you’re a leftist that is ok with calling people guilty and making their lives hell, outside of a court of law, because that’s what you think. That’s some mental discognitive gymnastic going on there. It’s also despotism.
Now we can get on with charges against the perps who beat up Kyle zoehler!
Ullr: Cuz she’s an full blown idiot. Recall Flemming? As if this dummy knows anything about how it went down. Typical braindead lefty.
Ullr rover, spot on, too bad the truth won’t come out and protesters can go home with their tails between their legs, dragging their signs, we were fine here until these racist young folks showed up.
Lol
Typical lefty response. White Protesters Matter! What a sad lot of local loons.
Meanwhile, L.A. mama waits for the legal payout. Maybe she’ll keep waiting …
ka-ching!
Yea these people need to go home and let, if anyone, the dead boys mother have her say… Otherwise these [edit] people holding black lives matter signs and saying its a modern day lynching need to change their tune if they want discourse or else they seem like crazies even to those that may agree with them. [edit]
Almost all the liberals that I personally know agree. We feel the intersectional identity, anti free speech regresives should not represent the left.
But it makes for better news if you only show the absolute extremes of each side. (Not you Kym you’re great)
I must say I have now changed my thinking in part because of protests like this. I used to think calls of “racism” were serious issues and needed attention. Now I don’t. Not because there are not race issues in the world but that too many people use the cry for way too loosely, way too many time. The cries of “wolf” no longer mean there’s a wolf but that there are too many manipulators.
Party.
4 people assaulted 1.
1 got stuck with a knife (EOL).
End of story.
?Hey I’m a brownskin person but like the earlier post said not enough evidence. And I have no love for Flemmings.
There are so many unsolved cases here, it’s really heartbreaking how many resources they’ve devoted to solving this one particular case because in this particular case the person who died, died while committing a violent crime with his friends and he was openly racist against white people and even posted video of two black makes in white face makeup mocking white people and was very openly against the police. Please let’s use the equivalent amount of resources on solving crimes where the victim died while they weren’t committing a crime. This should be a simple lesson to all people of all races that you should never commit a violent assault or you might die while committing that assault.
Hear! Hear! I’m so tired of hearing about Josiah being an “upstanding citizen” with “so much potential” who was “beloved by the community.” A crock of BS! He brought violence and hatred to our community and yet we are being raked over the coals by people all to eager to scream “racism!” He and his group had a reputation of stirring up violence and beating the crap out of people. The sooner this story drops off the front page the better.
Wolf,
thanks.
The screen caps of his social media pages (before they got scrubbed) were very telling. He was at the very least somebody who thought thug style was cool, and the line between thug posing and thug doing tends to be thin. His cocky, attitudinizing, somewhat creepy smile looks very familiar to me. I got to know certain behaviors associated with it when teaching. Kids who had that kind of smile were almost invariably shit-starters.
Wolf,eye, I couldn’t have said it better! Kudos.
If you expect to indict someone without evidence, you are worse than Maggie Fleming.
Unsolved murders are not isolated to Humboldt County.
https://nypost.com/2018/09/25/a-shocking-number-of-us-murders-went-unsolved-last-year/
I am sorry about this whole story, but time for most folks to move on. I understand the families may have a harder time with that, and I am sorry for them. The rest of the community though should just find some other cause to fight for at this point. I don’t need to see the posters of this deceased individual at stores anymore. I like the posters of some of the diverse HSU student population and how they interact with the community. Let’s have more of those.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UUdqgD6-cLM
Jim Douglas on unsolved murders.
Unsolved murders are endemic in Humboldt County. If you want to help solve this problem, local so-called “journalists”, you’re going to have to put the public interest ahead of your own personal financial interests for once and get out of your comfort zone & ask some tough questions of local law “enforcement”. Some investigation into why some of these local cops are so well-off financially on a measly public sector salary might yield some results. ???
We were waiting for the DNA results from the knief. Was the DNA report inconclusive? Without that there is no evidence. Only Charmaine Lawson says there is DNA on the knief. Not until a wittness is willing to come forward and tell the truth will there be a trial.
Yes, it was inconclusive. Fleming submitted the DNA results for expert review after viewing it with lower confidence than APD felt. The only positive ID was from Josiah’s blood. The other component was insufficient to narrow it down between a number of possible suspects. We have not been told any first-order information (race or sex of the DNA) from the second component.
What in the hell?? A young man gets in a physical altercation, otherwise
known as a fight, gets stabbed and unfortunately dies, no way to prove who the perpetrator is, happens to be black and all of these white folks want to protest? There is just as much of a chance that he was stabbed by a black friend as much as there is a chance he was killed by a white. No doubt about his whole situation being completely sad and uncalled for, but damn people, unsolved murders are abound, why this case? Simply because he’s black?? I have no issue with the effort being put in. No issue with protesting. No issue with people trying to help this poor mother find the killer of her son. No issue with any of this, other than where are you when it happens to a white, brown or child of any color?
Well it’s not likely he was stabbed by his friend. If you’ve ever been in a fight you’d know this is very unlikely. Esp because he was stabbed repeatedly. So, it’s definitely most likely the little scrawny kid who got beat up came back with a knife and finished the fight. Just saying, usually the most obvious answer is the correct one. Anything else is really grabbing at straws.
Have you not read any of the witness testimony or stories on RHBB or anything? There is no way he could’ve come back. He got knocked out during the fight.
You would think if it was Kyles knife, they would have found his fingerprints and or other evidence such as clothing fiber, which they didn’t.
you might have missed the part about kyles girlfriend pepper spraying the attacking persons. so therefore if they were trying to stab kyle they could have missed repeatedly because they couldnt see
sorry kyles girlfriends friend
“Obvious” is in they eye of the viewer. Confusing coincidence for cause is the most common error in logic humans make and it leads to much grief from burning witches to Spontaneous Generation.
Memo to Aunna: before you hold a sign proposing to recall an elected official you should know how to spell their name. It makes you look like an idiot.
That and the quote “This was a modern day lynching.”
Seriously ::hard core eye roll::
I see recall Fleming signs but this was decided by a grand jury and not Fleming. Maybe they need to start investigating off campus parties and put a stop to them or maybe the students should quit attending them.
Or maybe people should stop poking holes in each other.
The fact that the majority of commenters recognize what a bunch of fucking idiots these protesters are, and are sick and tired of the bullshit lie that [edit] is racist, gives me hope.
Don’t get confused, “whitey” is racist, but not every situation involves racism/discrimination, even though that seems to be the black communities default. Well, and apparently the local white community.
Ditto!
If it weren’t for legalized racism aka Affirmative Action racism, they’d have no claim at all.
Census used to be concerned only with questions that were uniting in nature. For instance?
Are you an American?
Are you a Foreigner?
(The two were not one hyphenated word. It was one or the other).
Then in the 60’s, I think it was, the census changed to include hyphenated Americans.
There is no such thing as a hyphenated American!
We’re either born here or naturalized here, or we’re Foreigners.
Affirmative Action pushes the narrative that hyphenated people are neither here nor there unless they choose the there so they can then be labeled ‘oppressed minorities’ under the new legalized racism rules.
Your rules, your racism.
For Heaven’s sakes, use non biased search engines to find the definition of ‘lynching’.
For one thing, it’s always been illegal to hold lynchings because lynchings is murder (person or character) no matter how you look at it. Lynching is the act of hanging a potentially innocent person that has not had the chance to be duly processed in a court of law. IOW, what the mob itself is doing to a man that was not found guilty. A not found guilty person is aka an innocent person. Get it?
As pointed out by Rollin and others, thankfully most of the commenters get it. (‘commentators’ according to spell check, but that never sounds quite right imo).
There’s hope. Thank you Rollin.
The vast majority of the comments are spot on….. 1) Black Lives Matter is shit, all lives matter. 2) Zoellner got the shit beat out of him by a mob of guys, in the mêlée someone other than Zoellner could have stabbed Josiah. 3) Josiah’s group of friends (fraternity) was not a “good” group, many are saying they brought violence, racism, and drugs to our community.
Finally, where is the testimony from all these friends on what happened at 3:00 am in the morning after raging for hours at this party??
Very sad series of events, but partying at that hour, with the alcohol and drugs involved not a good situation.
Yeah Bill but you have to admit; most likely it was Kyle that stabbed him. He obviously lost the fight, so I don’t know why anyone else would stab the guy who was doing the ass kicking. I know you conservatives would love to think the black friends did it, but it really doesn’t make sense. I think Kyle will get caught eventually. These protests don’t help.
You have no idea. You assume a narrative because it fits your preconceptions helped along by the mob. If Kyle had stabbed him his prints or blood or other DNA or fibers would have been on that knife. There was nothing that linked the blade to Kyle. Nothing.
Come on…. why would his dna be on the knife if he stabbed the guy? It seems like you have the preconceived notion! I’m just stating what is the most obvious. Sometimes there isn’t enough evidence to convict, that’s fair enough. Like I said it’s better to let someone go than convict the wrong person. But I think anyone who has any common sense knows who did it! Its very obvious.
You really think, what- Josiah’s friend somehow accidentally stabbed his own buddy repeatedly to frame Kyle? Or accidentally? Again it was repeated stabbing. Sure- cool story!
But I really hate the race baiting on both sides. Why not just call it what it was- a bunch of dumb college kids getting in a drunk fight with terrible consequences. Very sad story.
Your last paragraph Willow Creeker is the bottom line and basically what I was saying. The only item I will add is this, at 3:00 am, after partying all night and a mêlée breaks out, it would be very conceivable that one of the brotherhood could have stabbed his buddy in the darkness and craziness of the situation.
and dont forget they were pepper sprayed
If it is not obvious to you why an assailant’s DNA would be on the weapon in a homicide (unless they were wearing gloves), you have no business offering an opinion. The assailant’s DNA was on the knife, along with the victim’s, but it apparently wasn’t Zoellner’s and it was insufficient to tie it to a specific suspect.
Lawson suffered two knife wounds, one of which was fatal. Yes, that could have been accidental within the scrum that surrounded Zoellner.
I wonder who Aunna Bowllmann wanted arrested and lynched without evidence?
lol, sad isn’t it. The moral left will decide.
Actually, I am going to go against the grain here… first of all, I hear a lot of victim blaming… so, let’s say some one is a white rascist, or some one beilive’s the person is, does that mean that person should get stabbed.. And if it did happen, it would still be considered murder..
Also, I feel like this is a case of racial aptitude, because it was not handled correctly from the very beginning of the case.
And actually, I for one appreciate these protesters bringing awareness to this situation… and not letting the county turn away easily..
So if there is not enough evidence, there is not enough evidence.. that may be the harsh reality, and I hope that the investigators don’t give up..
But I am glad people are protesting because I don’t want to see Humboldt hailed as a haven for racial inequality, and intolerance..
And actually, Arcata in general has gotten way too “stabby”. I can’t really think of late night Arcata as a safe place any longer. And I hope this changes in general.. for all..
If a white racist and five of his friends jumped one black kid and beat him unconscious, then yes, if the one black kid had a knife he should be able to use it in self defense and stab the white racist. It shouldn’t be still considered murder, more like self defense. But wait, as in Kyle’s case, the black kid would’ve been beaten unconscious so that kid wouldn’t be able to defend himself anyway.
If someone perpetrates violence, which Lawson was surely doing when he received his fatal wounds, then his own actions surely led to his own demise even though he ultimately became one of two victims (the other being Zoellner). Whether the stabbing would be considered murder, homicide, or self-defense would depend entirely on circumstances that cannot come to light without a trial. The only evidence of racial “aptitude” (sic) influencing the case was in the rush to consider an unconscious beating victim as a suspect for the mere fact of his race, and in the uncooperative attitude of the crowd that materially interfered with emergency and police work.
“She described her time at the crime scene as an ordeal, with a hostile, abusive crowd screaming “Fuck the police” and “You stupid bitch.”
Another officer was already using a T-shirt to apply pressure to Lawson’s wounds. She began doing chest compressions. It was difficult, she testified, as a crowd of people were literally breathing down her neck, refusing to back up and telling her she was a “stupid bitch” who didn’t know what she was doing.”
Who was in this crowd? Am I to assume this was Lawson’s friends?
arcata police have treated Me like Rodney King on many occations and are indeed racist and will kill a person of color their own dang selves
How many Arcata officers have killed people of color in, lets say, the last two years? How many people of color have been killed by their friends, spouses, lovers, family members, strangers, drug dealers, random drivers or accidents, botched surgeries, bad medical care or lack of medical care in the last few years? Are you saying you have been beaten by numerous Arcata police at one time? And what you were alone in the woods and there were no phones or cameras anywhere?
You have no idea who Rodney King is or you would never compare yourself to his situation. What, did they say something mean and it hurt your feelings?
tharren is a character on Lord of the rings #3.
they chocked Me beat Me with battons hit an kicked Me and left scars on My body forever
oh yeah and tased Me and pepper spray for NO good reason
Well, if ya have it coming ya have it coming,pure and simple, strange how young minds think.
Wait… Kyle got his ass kicked in a good old drunken college fight. Coming back with a knife is a chicken shit move.
You obviously have no idea what you are talking about Willow Creeker. Kyle wasn’t drunk, Kyle didn’t get in a fight, he got jumped, and Kyle wasn’t able to leave and come back because he got knocked out during the fight. If you had read any of the stories that were published on this website you would know that. I barely follow this story and even I know that. Until you actually decide to read something about this case, keep your uninformed BS to yourself.
He wasn’t drunk in the early morning hours at a college party? Ok… sure. I have kids who are his contemporaries. I’ve heard a lot more than the official stories, and it all adds up.
The story that the witnesses I’ve read seem to agree on is that Kyle came to the party to pick up his girlfriend. He was sober.
Thank you Kym.
You didn’t read any of the past articles did you?
If the multitude of witnesses would tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but, there would have been an indictment. But they, as we saw in the abortive Zoellner arraignment, the party attendees have a problem with the truth, it seems to bend and fold and flex and change according to whom they are speaking: their friends, Josiah’s family, the police, the DA investigators, the retired FBI agent brought on board. The last best hope is for someone to confess, and that’s as likely as the sun rising in the west.
It’s hard to tell the truth and know the truth when your getting drunk and high and being angry all at the same time.
There was an eyewitness to the murder of our 13 year old beloved family member but it wasn’t enough for conviction. Murder has been human entertainment since the beginning of time, it’s in the heart. We just forget that I guess. Until as a society we turn away from violence as entertaining it will continue to prevail in our relationships as a norm ending in loss of life.
I have been so close to murder these past ten years it has been surreal. Loved ones shot and thrown out in the garbage, others we loved committed murder, and the missing… I am thankful every day for life and try to live better and kinder through my tears. I chose to be accountable and raise my children to do the same. I’ll tell you they know they better show respect because I won’t bail them out; I frequently hear praise about them and their attitudes towards others. Blessed in spite of trauma.
Black Lives Matter people are a bunch of racist asshats. He would have been indicted were there sufficient evidence. According to eye witnesses Zoellner was unconscious when the stabbing occurred. Afterwards he was slandered. I hope the find the real killer.
True. Try switching the words black and white and you see that it’a a very racist organization.
I’m kind of confused. Why would the DA send this case to the Grand Jury? Why wouldn’t she make this decision herself as a trained expert on the law? The Grand Jury are community members who have no law enforcement or legal expertise to determine guilt or innocence. Was the DA trying to cover her posterior and not want to assume responsibility? The decision to prosecute or not for a murder should be the responsibility of the district attorney. Not the grand jury. My opinion only. If anyone knows different please advise. This just seems weird to me.
“A grand jury helps the prosecutor decide whether to bring criminal charges against a suspect in a crime. Grand juries typically consist of 23 people, and the jurors may have jury duty for months at a time. However, jurors will have to work only a few days out of the month.
Grand juries will work closely with the prosecutor, who will explain the law to the jurors. The jurors then have the power to view almost any kind of evidence they wish and to interrogate anyone they like. The procedure for grand jury hearings is very relaxed to allow the jurors as much flexibility as possible. Typically, the parties that appear before the grand jury do not have attorneys, and the rules of evidence allow much more evidence than is allowed at a criminal trial. Grand jury proceedings are held in strict confidence to encourage witnesses to speak freely, as well as to protect the suspect if the grand jury decides not to bring charges.
A grand jury’s decision is not the final step in a case. Prosecutors use grand jury proceedings as test-runs for trials and take a grand jury’s decision very seriously. However, if the prosecutor strongly disagrees with a grand jury, he or she may ignore the decision.”
https://criminal.findlaw.com/criminal-law-basics/difference-between-grand-jury-and-trial-jury.html
Thanks for the refresher.
Great info Ullr Rover!
I didn’t see your post when I was busy typing and submitting mine, or I wouldn’t have posted mine. (now it’s too late to delete mine, or I would).
Thank you very much for the info. Appreciate it.
https://federalcriminallawcenter.com/2017/01/case-going-grand-jury-mean/
I think it’s also because it’s too easy for those working on a case to become too attached and biased. A GJ is fresh and open to all evidence.
It’s also harder to impose upon or threaten a full GJ.
Speaking of GJ’s, rumors has it there’s over 15,000 sealed indictments in Calif, and a total of over 90,000 nation/ww rico. They’re the ones who decide whether or not to indict. The GJ’s know their job.
Grand juries hear all the evidence the DA has. Like a jury trial grand juries have to try and determine if the evidence warrants the DA issuing an arrest. Apparently the grand jury did not hear sufficient evidence to conclude the DA should order an arrest warrant. Our laws about grand juries has been what we HAVE to follow. You may not like it. but you have no choice in that matter. What is lacking is the DA educating us about what the law defines as a grand jury and their responsibility and that is not her duty. If you want to know hire a criminal attorney to explain it to you. Or Google it. What you cannot do is makes statements that are not discovered or supported by a grand jury. We have laws that protect against citizens who would try and point out who they think is guilty. Or blame the DA or the police or the community. That is not how the system works. No one is guilty until he has a trial and twelve citizens hear ALL the evidence and then ALL vote guilty based on the evidence presented. The judge instructions to the jury is they are to discuss the facts and not the person’s looks, sex, color, race, religion, tattoos, color of his hair or the way he dresses. Just the facts and nothing but the facts. Are there jurors who are racist, yes. Are there jurors who would convict because of the way a person looks, yes, but that is why there are twelve jurors and that all twelve have to vote GUILTY. If one person votes not jury the person goes free. That’s why jurors are not all made up of males, females, all of one race, all have tattoos, all are the same age, all wear the same clothes, all are cowboys, all are Catholic priests and the list goes on and on. The lawyers try and choose a fair representation of the community. Is it a perfect system? Nope. But it is the only system we have. And most of the time it works. If you do not like it don’t commit a crime. It is complicated for a reason. So innocent people are not found guilty because of their color or their sex or etc.. None of us knows what the grand jury heard. Their hearings are purposely not aired in public. If you do not like it educate yourself by going to North Korea, or China or England or some African country. There are lots of systems of criminal law processes. Ours seems to work pretty well.
It’s called not enough evidence! What does Black or White matter in my opinion. A young man was murdered, that’s all that is important. My heart breaks for this young man and his family. He was a son, a grandson, a brother etc. Why oh Why does everything have to be so political.
Not my governor .
little fact. the district attorney can be disbarred if they have evidence and they prosecute to the opposite
knowingly ignore evidence to the contrary. can get you disbarred as the d.a.
is there a lawyer in the house
I attended the assembly at the County Court Building. I didn’t learn anything other than most people I spoke with claimed authorities and the DA are white racists. When I asked why I was told they did not find anyone responsible for the Lawson murder. When I said the DA and the Grand Jury found no factual evidence to arrest a person I was told it was because they were racist. I asked if that included the people on the Grand Jury I was told yes they are racist. I said since no one on the Grand Jury is known wasn’t it possible there were black people on the Grand Jury? I was told it was highly unlikely. I concluded that most people at the assembly were agreeing that racism was at the core of the investigations. What was their evidence anyone was acting as a racist? The answer was since no one was arrested the only reason had to be suppression of evidence and that it was obvious it was racist. I asked what specific factual evidence was suppressed no one could give verifiable evidence other than there were examples of the Arcata Police personnel had a history of being racist. Was there specific examples of the Arcata Police acting racist they only answer I got was it was obvious. Most interesting was no one I talked to when questioned if they understood the concepts of a Grand Juror and the role of a District Attorney no one could give me a correct response. Only that all were racists and that if I didn’t understand that I didn’t have a clue of racism in Humboldt County. It was an interesting experience and very concerning to me that few understood the rule of law or the use of racism to explain a tragic event. Or the belief that if the person killed was a white person an arrest would have been made. I felt estranged from the people I talked to.
Someone should inform the protester that Nancy Flemming hasn’t been in office for years, and Maggie Fleming was not responsible for the decision not to indict; she simply announced the decision made by the grand jury that was based on all the available evidence.