Court in first of #J20trials now on short break. Prosecution continues to call witnesses today, all cops so far. Jury has now heard from arresting officers for each defendant. No arresting officers' testimony appeared to include particularized probable cause for those arrested.
Testimony of each arresting officer basically went "I was told to show up and arrested them, i showed up and arrested them. Yes these items shown by prosecutor are their property." (Very loose paraphrasing here)
Assistant attorney Kerkhoff from @USAO_DC had each arresting officer confirm personal property of defendants (bandanas, backpacks, medic kits, etc). However, upon cross-examination by defense, several officers testified they did not recover items themselves, & dont know who did.
Defense also pointed out numerous items seen on defendants in police video of their arrest did not end up on their property or evidence forms. Arresting officers were repeatedly unable to explain these discrepancies.
Police body camera video also appeared to show male officers participating in searches of female arrestees, an apparent violation of MPD policy.
Defense attorneys also got officers present to process arrestees to confirm that those detained in the mass arrest pen for around 8 hours were not allowed access to food, water, bathrooms, or medical care.
Currently underway, & expected to last much of today, is direct examination of MPD Officer Harrison Grubbs, deployed on #J20 on a mountain bike. Video played in court shows Grubbs complain of an injured wrist after crashing his bike into a protester while trying to make an arrest
Officer Grubbs' body cam shows the aftermath of a patio chair allegedly being thrown at a motorcycle cop. The actual alleged attack is not seen on the video, and no current defendant is alleged to have thrown the chair.
Assistant US Attorney Kerkhoff is clearly seeking to advance the claim that specific acts done by unknown individuals can be blamed on the entire group present in and around the anticapitalist antifascist protest march on Trump's inauguration day.
