DA's office drops charges filed against 39 Pittsburgh protesters

Criminal charges filed by Pittsburgh police against 39 people in connection with protests over the death of George Floyd will be withdrawn by prosecutors, officials said Monday.

“We do not have the evidence in these cases to suitably conduct a preliminary hearing,” the Allegheny County District Attorney’s office said in a statement. “Until the Public Safety director provides evidence that is both relevant and substantial, it is inappropriate to proceed with these criminal complaints.”

District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. directed the charges to be withdrawn, spokesman Mike Manko said.

Both the mayor’s office and the Department of Public Safety declined to comment on the directive.

The union representing the Pittsburgh police officers, Fraternal Order of Police Fort Pitt Lodge 1, said it was “very disappointed” in the decision.

The FOP statement called the people who were charged “rioters who endangered the lives of those protesting peacefully, destroying property of law-abiding business owners and injuring law enforcement officers,” according to the statement by FOP Vice President Patrick L. Knepp.

Forty-six people were charged with disorderly conduct and failure to disperse after a May 30 protest turned violent. Two nights later, police arrested 22 people after protests in East Liberty.

Zappala’s office did not say which protesters had their charges withdrawn, but a Trib search of online court records turned up 32 protesters arrested during demonstrations on May 30 whose charges have been dropped:

• Jordan Carl
• Rajae Childs
• John Connors
• Katie Demi
• Collin Ewing
• William Henry
• Heather Kilvington
• Zoe Johnson
• Brian Longwill
• Peyton Mack
• Brittany Marczak
• Harmony McDonald
• Cruize Mosley
• Mohammed Nasir
• James Osbourne
• Haley Patterson
• Nakiesha Pick
• David Pingree
• Christopher Pugh
• Andrew Putnam
• Dayionna Randolph
• Isabella Ruzzo
• Peyton Sabala
• Dustin Schrader
• Dustin Stresky
• Abbey Sporio
• Thomas Talley
• Chad Thrush
• Kayla Turner
• Jennie Wansor
• Jerome Williams
• Khallid Young

The latest #BLMprotest in Downtown Pittsburgh, right now outside the Allegheny County Courthouse on Grant Street. pic.twitter.com/7FBeT4SgFB

— Tom Davidson (@TribDavidson) June 8, 2020

Police also charged Brian Jordan Bartels, 20, of Shaler after the protests.

Bartels, 20, is accused of smashing out the windows of a marked Pittsburgh police cruiser. He is charged with institutional vandalism, rioting and reckless endangerment. Bartels was subsequently charged by federal authorities over his alleged actions.

The case against Bartels remains active, according to online court records.

Authorities also are working to identify a man they said tossed a homemade bomb at an officer May 30 near Mellon Square.

Protests have been held daily in the city and region since May 30, although most have been peaceful.

Mayor Bill Peduto has ordered investigations into police actions at a June 1 protest in East Liberty.

A gathering at Point State Park and a march from Mt. Washington to Downtown’s Market Square on Sunday were held without incident.

Tom Davidson and Megan Guza are a Tribune-Review staff writers. You can contact Tom at 724-226-4715, tdavidson@triblive.com or via Twitter @TribDavidson. You can contact Megan at 412-380-8519, mguza@triblive.com or via Twitter @meganguzaTrib.