Maricopa County Attorney's Office: Statement From County Attorney Allister Adel Regarding Dismissal Of Charges For Oct. 17, 2020 Case

Press release from Maricopa County Attorney's Office:

June 11, 2021

Friday, June 11, 2021 (Phoenix, AZ) – “Today the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office filed a motion to dismiss all charges stemming from the events of Oct. 17, 2020, with prejudice. It is the decision of this office that it is in the interests of justice to not proceed.

Prosecutors must continually assess all the facts, evidence, and circumstances surrounding any case. I believe we must not be afraid to change course when it serves the interests of justice and is in the best interest of the community. My decision today reflects just that. 

I want to be clear this decision does not mean that no crimes were committed. This decision in no way reflects negatively on the hard work law enforcement performed that night in preventing violence and property damage, and other crimes to keep our community safe.

The events of that night were captured on video. It clearly shows there was probable cause to arrest and file charges against certain individuals who committed misdemeanor crimes. However, as we highlighted in recent pleadings to the court, the more serious charges as originally filed did not meet our standards.

Therefore, considering the time and resources required to pursue the appropriate misdemeanor charges, and all the facts and circumstances in this case, I have decided it is not in the interests of justice to move forward on this particular prosecution. I must use our limited resources where we can do the most good for our community.

I believe that just because we can legally pursue charges does not always mean that we should. It is not an easy decision to step away from a case when we believe crimes were committed, but in this case, it is the right thing to do.”

###

This press release was produced by Maricopa County Attorney's Office. The views expressed here are the author’s own.