Mistrial Declared in Case of Stanford Students Charged in Pro-Palestinian Protests
A judge declared a mistrial in the case of five current and former Stanford University students charged with felony vandalism and conspiracy to trespass after a jury failed to reach a verdict. The students were accused of barricading themselves inside the university president and provost’s executive offices during a pro-Palestinian protest in 2024.
The jury voted 9 to 3 to convict on the felony charge of vandalism and 8 to 4 to convict on the felony charge of conspiracy to trespass, but after deliberating for five days, they were unable to come to a unanimous decision. Judge Hanley Chew asked each juror if more time deliberating would help break the impasse, and all answered, “No.” Chew then declared a mistrial in counts one and two and dismissed the jurors.
Background of the Protests
The protests in question took place on June 5, 2024, the last day of spring classes at Stanford University. Demonstrators barricaded themselves inside the offices for several hours, spray-painting the building, breaking windows and furniture, disabling security cameras, and splattering a red liquid described as fake blood on items throughout the offices. The trial was a rare instance of demonstrators facing felony charges from protests over the Israel-Hamas war that took place on campuses across the country.
Prosecutors argued that the defendants’ actions were criminal and caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage. Defense attorneys, on the other hand, claimed that the protest was protected speech and that there was insufficient evidence of an intent to damage the property. They also stated that the students wore protective gear and barricaded the offices out of fear of being injured by police and campus security.
Consequences and Next Steps
If convicted, the defendants would have faced up to three years in prison and been obligated to pay restitution of over $300,000. Santa Clara County Dist. Atty. Jeff Rosen stated that he would pursue a new trial, saying, “This case is about a group of people who destroyed someone else’s property and caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage. That is against the law and that is why we will retry the case.”
Initially, 12 people were arrested and charged, but one pleaded no contest under an agreement that allows some young people to have their cases dismissed and records sealed if they successfully complete probation. Six of those accepted pretrial plea deals or diversion programs, and the remaining five pleaded not guilty and sought a jury trial.
The protests were part of a larger movement that took place on campuses across the country, with students setting up encampments and demanding that their universities stop doing business with Israel or companies that support its war against Hamas. According to reports, about 3,200 people were arrested in 2024 nationwide, although most criminal charges were ultimately dismissed.
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