No charges for pepper-sprayed UC Davis students

University of California, Davis, Police Lt. John Pike uses pepper spray to move Occupy UC Davis protesters while blocking their exit from the school's quad Nov. 18, 2011, in Davis, Calif. / AP Photo/The Enterprise

DAVIS, Calif. — Prosecutors have decided not to charge any of the protesters who were arrested at the University of California, Davis the day campus police used pepper-spray on a group that had blocked a sidewalk.

Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig said Friday there was insufficient information in police reports of the Nov. 18 protest to warrant charges against eight men and two women who were cited for unlawful assembly, failure to disperse or illegal camping during a campus version of the Occupy Wall Street demonstrations.

The arrests happened before and after two officers doused a line of protesters seated on a sidewalk with pepper spray, an action that was caught on video and led to widespread criticism of UC Davis' chancellor and police chief.

The district attorney's office has been investigating the spraying at the chancellor's request.

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[mjlewis6]

The right to protest exists, and when Prosecutors can clearly IGNORE evidence of CHEMICAL ASSAULT by law enforcement....the whole local governmental system opens itself up to incremental and escalating violence. Arrest for disturbing the peace should have been followed. The CHEMICAL ASSAULT was unwarranted and clearly indicative of another motive.

Time to prosecute police !!

[philly79215]

Do you even know the circumstances of the use of the pepper spray? Not only was it warranted, but those "kids" should be spending a long time in jail. But the spineless DA dropped the charges. Charge the police? You're an ass! Maybe you should find out the whole story of what provoked the pepper spraying before you open your mouth and allow such garbage to spew forth. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhPdH3wE0_Y

[bantamei]

If you defend the police on this consider yourself anti-constitution and anti-American.

[credibility2]

Aw, the poor little spoiled disobedient brats have been given a green light to continue being obstructionists and recalcitrant and having no regard whatsoever for law enforcement. I'm glad they were sprayed. They deserved it. Our nation has become a cesspool full of pandering and political correctness and entitlement. No responsibility, no honor, no respect, etc. They didn't have a permit, and were obstructing the right away for others. They were repeatedly asked to move and were probably advised of the outcome if they didn't move. They repeatedly ignored the order and disobeyed a reasonable police command. No wonder we have so much crime in our nation. We've bowed down to anarchy and criminals.

[DavidInMaine]

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; OR THE RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE TO PEACEABLY ASSEMBLE, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

First amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America

[fiberglass3]

Let's try and figure this one out??

I'd say the First amendment to the Constitution of the United States trumps "insufficient information in police reports"

[tiredofeverything]

Now how about laying charges again the officers?

[raymailhot]

I Can't believe the students are that inept they would sit through a pepper-spraying.

How did they get into school?

I believe California needs to install a better mechanism to screen their students for intelligence!

[bilrobi1]

I wonder if they weren't there out of a sense of commitment and justice(though vague in their message). It requires courage to make that kind of commitment. You should try it sometime.

[raymailhot]

I Can't believe the students are that inept they would sit through a pepper-spraying.

How did they get into school?

I believe California needs to install a better mechanism to screen their students for intelligence!

[Rodeo_Joe]

"insufficient information in police reports" = oops.

The protections of the Constitution pale to Kevlar's.
Don't leave home without it.

[barrybanana]

I was going to comment, but the three before me pretty well nailed it.Excessive violence by the police is becoming widespread.We are fast becoming a police-state.Goodbye liberty.

[davidyale]

Dropping charges is only the first step. Now the police need to be charged for assault, violation of their own police standards, and false arrest.

[Jaylah54]

Agreed. The idea of charging the protesters was absurd from the get-go. The people who were not behaving as they should have been were the police.