Federal prosecutors revealed Thursday that the government is dropping charges against several Illinois protestors who demonstrated against Immigration and Customs Enforcement last year.U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros, Chicago’s top federal prosecutor, said he is dropping charges against the remaining “Broadview Six” defendants just days before their rare federal trial for misdemeanor charges, due to concerns about grand jury misconduct.Charges of a single misdemeanor count of forcibly impeding a federal agent are being dismissed with prejudice against Kat Abughazaleh, Andre Martin, Brian Straw, and Michael Rabbitt. The development comes amid allegations that grand jury transcripts showed an initial grand jury refused to indict the defendants, and the case was later presented again after prosecutors dismissed certain grand jury members.
“No one acted with the intent to mislead your honor, and I think that they were following your order to give the law,” Boutros told U.S. District Judge April Perry, saying he became aware of the dismissal of grand jurors “in real time.”
“And as soon as I became aware of it, I called off that grand jury session,” Perry said.
The move means the trial that had been scheduled to begin next week was canceled, and that charges cannot be refiled against the four defendants.
