A federal grand jury refused to indict a couple carrying firearms while protesting at the Broadview ICE facility outside Chicago. Republicans have been the main political party that has opposed any restrictions or regulations on firearms, but U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros' office went after them as "armed rioters." The office has since asked that the charges be dismissed.
The couple is part of a group of protesters taken by federal agents while protesting. A third person also had his charges dropped when new footage was revealed showing the encounter.
"The three are among more than a dozen protesters arrested and charged by federal agents since late last month, according to court records," reported the site Block Club Chicago. "They were also among six people federally charged so far in cases stemming from protests that began last month outside ICE’s processing facility in Broadview, meaning that half of those cases are no longer proceeding."
The judge agreed to dismiss the charges.
“I’ve been practicing law for 54 years and I’ve never had another client with no bill returned,” lawyer Richard Kling told Block Club Chicago about his client. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime for me.”
Kling recalled the adage that a grand jury can "indict a ham sandwich," a quote that mocks the ease of scoring an indictment because there is no defense possible in the grand jury.
Prosecutors apparently had “less evidence than a ham sandwich” against his client, Kling told the Block Club.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Havey revealed that the decision to drop the case came directly from the top, The Sun-Times said.
The couple's names were blasted out on X to ICE's 1 million followers saying, "Federal agents arrested armed rioters Jocelyne Robledo and Ray Collins for assault at ICE’s Broadview facility. They will be prosecuted and held accountable. ... We will not be deterred."
The post with their photos has not been deleted.
A different judge released Collins after it was discovered he had a license to carry the gun.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel Fuentes demanded answers from the AUSA as to why the grand jury refused to indict, and the lawyer claimed it had been known to happen.
Prosecutors have approximately two weeks to decide whether to file additional charges.
The Sun-Times also noted that a protester named Luci Mazur also had charges dismissed "after reviewing additional body camera footage depicting Mazur’s Sept. 27 encounter with federal law enforcement outside the Broadview facility."
FBI Special Agent Steven Mallon accused Mazur of signing an affidavit claiming Mazur refused "a lawful order to step back." Mazur was then alleged to have grabbed the agent, and the two ultimately ended up on the ground. The sworn affidavit claims Mazur "continued resisting arrest."
The prosecutors then claimed that they had viewed the video evidence, which "corroborated the complaint’s version of events."
However, when they went to court, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Snell told the judge that they "obtained new footage" of the encounter that "caused the United States to determine to not proceed with this case at this time," the Sun-Times reported.
Read the full report here.
