Prosecutors for the Lebanon District Court will not press charges against at least 28 people — including several Dartmouth students and religion professor Christopher MacEavitt — arrested for criminal trespassing during a pro-Palestinian protest on May 1, the Valley News reported on June 27.
On May 1, police arrested 89 individuals at the protest, including two reporters for The Dartmouth. On May 7, Grafton assistant county attorney Mariana Pastore declined to press charges and motioned the Lebanon District Court to vacate bail conditions against the student journalists.
The prosecutor’s office declined to comment on any specifics of why certain cases were dropped.
An undergraduate student arrested on May 1 — who requested anonymity due to ongoing legal proceedings — said her case was not dropped and she did not know the “rhyme or reason” behind why some cases were dropped while others were not.
The anonymous student also said she was told by her lawyer — who she said is representing a large number of Dartmouth students — that her case has been moved from a misdemeanor to a violation, along with those individuals whose cases were not dropped and who have a July 15 arraignment date. According to the Valley News, 35 individuals now face a violation. A violation charge is less severe than a misdemeanor and does not result in jail time or a criminal record, although it may involve a fine or court fee, according to the New Hampshire Judicial Branch website.
Those charged with violations are scheduled to be arraigned on July 15, while 24 cases are set to be arraigned on Aug. 5, according to past reporting by The Dartmouth. The prosecutor’s office has until 14 days prior to Aug. 5 to file charges for those cases.
The Lebanon District Court did not respond to requests for comment by time of publication.
