VENTURA, Calif. — A judge ruled Wednesday that a Southern California college professor will stand trial on manslaughter and assault charges in the death of a Jewish counterprotester during demonstrations during the Israel-Hamas war last year.
Superior Court Judge Ryan Wright ruled after a two-day preliminary hearing that there is enough evidence to try Loay Abdelfattah Alnaji, according to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office.
Alnaji, 51, is accused of hitting Paul Kessler with a bullhorn in November during a confrontation at an event that began as a pro-Palestinian rally in Thousand Oaks, a suburb northwest of Los Angeles.
Kessler, 69, fell backwards and hit his head on the sidewalk. He died the next day in a hospital.
Alnaji was charged with two felonies: manslaughter and assault causing great bodily harm, with special allegations of personally inflicting great bodily harm on each count, the prosecutor’s office said. If he is found guilty of all charges, he could be sentenced to more than four years in prison.
Alnaji posted $50,000 bail. An email and phone message from Alnaji’s attorney, Ron Bamieh, were not immediately returned Wednesday.
Alnaji, a computer science professor at Moorpark College, espoused pro-Palestinian views on his Facebook page and other social media accounts, many of which were taken down days after Kessler’s death, according to the Los Angeles Times.
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