Legalectric

Thanks to the STrib’s Libor Jany for posting the Statement of Probable Cause for Allen Scarsella.  The four are Scarsella, Joseph Backman, Nathan Gustavsson, and Daniel Macey.  Hennepin Co. Atty. Freeman’s press conference starts soon.

It looks like all four will be charged.  I’m very glad to see the County Attorney handling this quickly.  I believe they’re also looking at whether to charge this as a hate crime.  Given all the video and online threads, it’d be pretty hard to show it wasn’t a hate crime.

Probable Cause – Scarsella

From Reuters:

Allen Scarsella, 23, who prosecutors said in a complaint had admitted to shooting five protesters, was charged with one count of second-degree riot while armed and five counts of second-degree assault.

Joseph Backman, 27; Nathan Gustavsson, 21; and Daniel Macey, 26, were each charged with second-degree riot in the Nov. 23 late night shooting that left five demonstrators with wounds that were not life-threatening.

This is progress, a start.

From the press conference (close, but not necessarily verbatim):

“These are sick people…”

“These four have been in custody… we believe there may be another, and that’s why this is ongoing.”

“If you’re a racist, you’re a racist, and that’s just not acceptable.”

“For people to talk about about their fellow human beings in that manner is simply not acceptable.”

“First appearance is tomorrow, we’ve asked for half a million dollars for Scarsella, and for a quarter million for the others.”