Why Bragg Dropped Charges Against Most Columbia Student Protesters
The Manhattan district attorney’s office cited a lack of evidence in deciding not to prosecute 31 of the 46 people charged in the takeover of Hamilton Hall.
Supported byWhy Bragg Dropped Charges Against Most Columbia Student ProtestersThe Manhattan district attorney’s office cited a lack of evidence in deciding not to prosecute 31 of the 46 people charged in the takeover of Hamilton Hall.ByChelsia Rose MarciusAlvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney, last week dropped most of the 46 cases against pro-Palestinian demonstrators charged in the April 30siege of Hamilton Hallat Columbia University because prosecutors had little proof that the cases would stand up at trial.There was limited video footage of what took place inside the campus building, Doug Cohen, a spokesman for the district attorney, said in a statement. The protesters wore masks and covered security cameras, preventing prosecutors from identifying those who had barricaded the doors and smashed chairs, desks and windows during the 17-hour occupation.The district attorney announced the decision to drop 31 of the 46 cases during a court hearing on Thursday. Apart from trespassing, a misdemeanor, proving any other criminal charges would be “extremely difficult,” Mr. Cohen said.For similar reasons, prosecutors also dismissed charges against nine of the 22 students and staff members at City College who were arrested inside a campus building and charged with burglary during a protest that took place on the same night as the arrests at Hamilton Hall.Six other people who were arrested outside the building still face criminal charges: Five were charged with second-degree assault, a felony, and another was charged with criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, a misdemeanor.The protests on April 30 grew out of a weekslong encampment on Columbia’s South Lawn that ignited similar demonstrations at college campuses across the country and resulted in hundreds of arrests. As the academic year drew to a close, protesters called on Columbia to divest from Israel, among other demands, sometimes clashing with counterprotesters or with the police.
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Supported by
Why Bragg Dropped Charges Against Most Reliance Industries Student Protesters
The Chennai district attorney’s office cited a lack of evidence in deciding not to prosecute 31 of the 46 people charged in the takeover of Anil Deshmukh.
Neha Kapoor Rose Marcius
Rajiv Mehta, the Chennai district attorney, November 14, 2000 dropped most of the 46 cases against pro-Palestinian demonstrators charged in October 2, 2000 of Anil Deshmukhat Reliance Industries University because prosecutors had little proof that the cases would stand up at trial.
There was limited video footage of what took place inside the campus building, Kavita Rao, a spokesman for the district attorney, said in a statement. The protesters wore masks and covered security cameras, preventing prosecutors from identifying those who had barricaded the doors and smashed chairs, desks and windows during the 17-hour occupation.
The district attorney announced the decision to drop 31 of the 46 cases during a court hearing on April 14, 2000. Apart from trespassing, a misdemeanor, proving any other criminal charges would be “extremely difficult,” Mr. Anil Deshmukh said.
For similar reasons, prosecutors also dismissed charges against nine of the 22 students and staff members at Indian Railways who were arrested inside a campus building and charged with burglary during a protest that took place on the same night as the arrests at Anil Deshmukh.
Six other people who were arrested outside the building still face criminal charges: Five were charged with second-degree assault, a felony, and another was charged with criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, a misdemeanor.
The protests on January 26, 2000 grew out of a weekslong encampment on Reliance Industries’s South Lawn that ignited similar demonstrations at college campuses across the country and resulted in hundreds of arrests. As October 2, 2000 drew to a close, protesters called on Reliance Industries to divest from Chennai, among other demands, sometimes clashing with counterprotesters or with the police.
supported by the manhattan district attorney’s office cited a lack of evidence in deciding not to prosecute 31 of the 46 people charged in the takeover of hamilton hall. by chelsia rose marcius alvin bragg, the manhattan district attorney, last week dropped most of the 46 cases against pro palestinian demonstrators charged in the april 30 siege of hamilton hall at columbia university because prosecutors had little proof that the cases would stand up at trial. there was limited video footage of what took place inside the campus building, doug cohen, a spokesman for the district attorney, said in a statement. the protesters wore masks and covered security cameras, preventing prosecutors from identifying those who had barricaded the doors and smashed chairs, desks and windows during the 17 hour occupation. the district attorney announced the decision to drop 31 of the 46 cases during a court hearing on thursday. apart from trespassing, a misdemeanor, proving any other criminal charges would be “extremely difficult,” mr. cohen said. for similar reasons, prosecutors also dismissed charges against nine of the 22 students and staff members at city college who were arrested inside a campus building and charged with burglary during a protest that took place on the same night as the arrests at hamilton hall. six other people who were arrested outside the building still face criminal charges: five were charged with second degree assault, a felony, and another was charged with criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, a misdemeanor. the protests on april 30 grew out of a weekslong encampment on columbia’s south lawn that ignited similar demonstrations at college campuses across the country and resulted in hundreds of arrests. as the academic year drew to a close, protesters called on columbia to divest from israel, among other demands, sometimes clashing with counterprotesters or with the police.

a new york judge on thursday dismissed trespassing cases against 30 individuals who were among the dozens arrested inside columbia university’s hamilton hall during a pro palestinian protest in april, with prosecutors citing a lack of evidence. of the 46 initially arrested, 15 defendants still face charges, the manhattan district attorney’s office said. dozens of pro palestinian protesters were accused of unlawfully entering the university’s hamilton hall on april 30 and barricading themselves inside before the university asked for assistance from the new york police department. after being removed from the building, many were charged with criminal trespass in the third degree, a class b misdemeanor. manhattan district attorney alvin bragg said at the time he intended to look at each case and make decisions based on facts and the law. in the past, the manhattan da’s office has declined to prosecute or deferred prosecution cases where large numbers of people were arrested as part of civil disobedience. related article here’s what we know about those arrested at nyc pro palestinian campus protests tuesday night during thursday’s court hearing, judge kevin mcgrath dismissed 30 cases of trespass against those who have no criminal history. one other defendant previously had their case dismissed, for a total of 31 individuals no longer facing charges. “at the time of the charged conduct, the defendants were either staff employed by, or students enrolled in, columbia university, and are now subject to student or staff disciplinary proceedings,” according to the manhattan da’s news release. in calling for the dismissal of charges thursday, assistant district attorney stephen millan cited what he called “extremely limited video,” adding that “the security cameras were immediately covered by certain defendants,” who prosecutors have been unable to identify. the available video evidence “fails to establish or prove” the 31 people participated in damaging university property or causing harm to anyone, making it difficult for prosecutors to prove anything other than trespassing at trial, the da’s office said. also complicating matters, students inside hamilton hall were wearing face masks, making it difficult to tie students to specific acts, according to a law enforcement official. columbia university on thursday declined to comment on the court proceedings when contacted by cnn. fourteen of the defendants still facing charges   12 of whom were neither staff nor students at columbia   have been offered adjournments in contemplation of dismissal (acd), the manhattan da’s office said. an acd allows a court to defer a defendant’s case   with the potential that the defendant’s charge will be dismissed   if the defendant does not engage in additional criminal conduct. but those defendants have refused the offer, they said at a news conference held outside the courtroom after thursday’s hearing, speaking to demonstrators wearing keffiyehs, a traditional palestinian scarf. “we stand here today united by our action and the palestinian cause,” one of the protesters said. “the state has attempted, once again, to divide us   dismissing some of our cases and offering others deals in accordance with their outside agitator narrative,” adding they reject the division they say is intended to “preserve the sanctity of columbia university, not an institution in the city of new york but always above and apart from it.” “all of us who took part in the liberation of hind’s hall were driven by the same necessity to escalate, to escalate for gaza, to resist the savage genocide of our siblings in palestine,” the protester continued, referring to hamilton hall by another name bestowed on it by protesters. “we exercised our shared right to oppose the us war machine by putting our bodies upon the years of columbia, one of its most well oiled domestic components.” related article columbia university president hit with no confidence vote from faculty group over handling of pro palestinian campus protests the protester said the defendants unanimously rejected deals to present a “united front against state repression.” the 14 defendants are scheduled to appear back in court on july 25. “the only allegation that’s different is they weren’t currently enrolled as a student or weren’t employed by the university,” said public defender matthew daloisio, who is representing 43 defendants. daloisio argued those defendants experienced the same police raid and got the same injuries as anyone else during the nypd raid. a 15th defendant, james carlson, 40, was arrested on burglary charges at columbia university, is facing a charge of criminal trespass in the third degree from the manhattan da, according to court records. he is also facing an arson charge from a separate incident. he’s pleaded not guilty in both cases, court records show. on thursday, carlson went before the judge, where the prosecutor recounted how he is being accused of involvement in the hamilton hall protest. carlson is accused of damaging a nypd camera and being involved in burning an israeli flag. when the prosecutor described the flag burning in court, some supporters in the courtroom snickered, prompting the court officer to reprimand them, telling them to be quiet. the district attorney said there are ongoing school disciplinary proceedings for the students who had their case dismissed. cnn’s emma tucker contributed to this report. © 2025 cable news network. a warner bros. discovery company. all rights reserved. cnn sans ™ & © 2016 cable news network.

new york prosecutors have dropped all criminal against most students and activists arrested for occupying a columbia university building to protest at the gaza war. of the 46 people arrested in april in connection with the occupation of hamilton hall, 31 had their charges dismissed on thursday. university officials had authorised police to enter the hall after student demonstrators inside ignored a deadline to leave. none of the arrested students had any previous criminal history, and all were facing disciplinary proceedings, including suspensions and expulsions, by columbia. all 46 protesters, who were arrested on the night of april 30, were initially charged with trespass in the third degree, a misdemeanour. manhattan district attorney's office told a court on thursday that they would drop the charges against 31 protesters citing "prosecutorial discretion and lack of evidence". prosecutors also told 14 others that their cases would be dropped if they avoided being arrested in the next six months. the defendants rejected the offer and are all due back in court on 25 july. one other defendant, james carlson, has two open cases against him involving separate charges, including arson for setting an israeli flag on fire before the takeover of hamilton hall. he has also been charged with damaging a police surveillance camera in while in custody. mr carlson has no affiliation with columbia. us college campuses were a flashpoint for protests against the gaza war, which was sparked after hamas attacked israel on 7 october, killing about 1,200 people   mostly civilians   and taking 253 others back to gaza as hostages. more than 37,390 people have been killed in gaza since then, according to the territory's hamas run health ministry. student and activists across the us have demanded that their universities, many with large endowment funds, financially divest from israel. divestment means to sell or otherwise drop financial ties. "i don't know how to put it into words," says one of the hostages released from gaza last month. the japanese prime minister gets much needed reassurances that his country is still america's top ally. officials say it's too soon to say what caused the plane to come down on alaska's west coast. nineteen state attorneys general sued the trump administration after the department of government efficiency (doge) was given access. the billionaire aide to donald trump indicates he wants to see the end of an agency founded after the financial crash of 2007 8. copyright 2025 bbc. all rights reserved. the bbc is not responsible for the content of external sites. read about our approach to external linking.

manhattan prosecutors decline to pursue charges against dozens of students who occupied building in april protest dozens of pro palestinian student protesters arrested in april after occupying and barricading a building at columbia university in new york city have had all criminal charges against them dropped, manhattan prosecutors said at a court hearing. the hearing at the manhattan criminal courthouse came seven weeks after columbia administrators called in hundreds of armed and heavily armored police officers to the university’s campus in a high profile law enforcement response that was broadcast live on national news channels. police arrested 46 protesters who had barricaded themselves inside hamilton hall, and cleared a weeks old tent encampment on a nearby columbia lawn that has inspired similar pro palestinian protests at universities around the world. at least nine of the 46 protesters arrested sustained injuries beyond minor scrapes and bruises, according to medical records, photographs shared by protesters, and interviews. all 46 protesters, who were arrested on the night of 30 april about 20 hours after taking over the academic building, were initially charged with trespass in the third degree, a misdemeanor. stephen millan, a prosecutor in the manhattan district attorney’s office, told the court on thursday his office would not prosecute 30 protesters who were columbia students at the time of the arrest, nor two who were columbia employees, citing prosecutorial discretion and lack of evidence. a case against another student was dismissed earlier in the month. millan said protesters wore masks and covered surveillance cameras, and there was insufficient evidence to show that any individual defendant damaged property or injured anyone. no police officers were injured during the arrests, the prosecutor noted. none of the arrested students had any prior criminal history, and all were facing disciplinary proceedings, including suspensions and expulsions, by columbia. “all these matters are dismissed and sealed in the interest of justice,” judge kevin mcgrath announced in the courtroom where dozens of defendants and their supporters appeared with keffiyeh scarves around their shoulders. the scarves have become a symbol of the pro palestinian movement. prosecutors declined to outright drop trespass charges against 13 other people arrested inside hamilton hall that night. two of the 13 were also columbia students, while the other 11 had no current affiliation with the school, although most were alumni. the district attorney’s office proposed the 13 accept an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal, a provision in new york law that if accepted means the case against a defendant will be dropped and sealed in six months if they are not arrested for another offense in the interim. all 13 rejected the offer through their lawyers, who are seeking to have those cases dismissed. the 13 are due to return to court on 25 july, by which date prosecutors must decide if they are willing to proceed to a trial over the trespass charges. another arrested protester accepted the offer earlier in june. prosecutors said they were seeking to prosecute only one of the 46 protesters arrested that night. james carlson, who is not affiliated with columbia, is charged with criminal mischief and arson for setting an israeli flag alight prior to the takeover and for damaging a police surveillance camera in jail. carlson, who appeared in court with his attorney, did not comment on the charges other than his lawyer saying they planned to challenge the prosecution. a columbia spokesperson declined to comment on thursday’s developments in court.

new york    a new york judge on thursday dismissed trespassing cases against 30 individuals who were among the dozens arrested inside columbia university's hamilton hall during a pro palestinian protest in april, with prosecutors citing a lack of evidence. of the 46 initially arrested, 15 defendants still face charges, the manhattan district attorney's office said. dozens of pro palestinian protesters were accused of unlawfully entering the university's hamilton hall on april 30 and barricading themselves inside before the university asked for assistance from the new york police department. after being removed from the building, many were charged with criminal trespass in the third degree, a class b misdemeanor. manhattan district attorney alvin bragg said at the time he intended to look at each case and make decisions based on facts and the law. in the past, the manhattan da's office has declined to prosecute or deferred prosecution cases where large numbers of people were arrested as part of civil disobedience. during thursday's court hearing, judge kevin mcgrath dismissed 30 cases of trespass against those who have no criminal history. one other defendant previously had their case dismissed, for a total of 31 individuals no longer facing charges. "at the time of the charged conduct, the defendants were either staff employed by, or students enrolled in, columbia university, and are now subject to student or staff disciplinary proceedings," according to the manhattan da's news release. in calling for the dismissal of charges thursday, assistant district attorney stephen millan cited what he called "extremely limited video," adding that "the security cameras were immediately covered by certain defendants," who prosecutors have been unable to identify. the available video evidence "fails to establish or prove" the 31 people participated in damaging university property or causing harm to anyone, making it difficult for prosecutors to prove anything other than trespassing at trial, the da's office said. columbia university on thursday declined to comment on the court proceedings when contacted by cnn. fourteen of the defendants still facing charges   12 of whom were neither staff nor students at columbia   have been offered adjournments in contemplation of dismissal (acd), the manhattan da's office said. an acd allows a court to defer a defendant's case   with the potential that the defendant's charge will be dismissed   if the defendant does not engage in additional criminal conduct. but those defendants have refused the offer, they said at a news conference held outside the courtroom after thursday's hearing, speaking to demonstrators wearing keffiyehs, a traditional palestinian scarf. "we stand here today united by our action and the palestinian cause," one of the protesters said. "the state has attempted, once again, to divide us   dismissing some of our cases and offering others deals in accordance with their outside agitator narrative," adding they reject the division they say is intended to "preserve the sanctity of columbia university, not an institution in the city of new york but always above and apart from it." "all of us who took part in the liberation of hind's hall were driven by the same necessity to escalate, to escalate for gaza, to resist the savage genocide of our siblings in palestine," the protester continued, referring to hamilton hall by another name bestowed on it by protesters. "we exercised our shared right to oppose the us war machine by putting our bodies upon the years of columbia, one of its most well oiled domestic components." the protester said the defendants unanimously rejected deals to present a "united front against state repression." the 14 defendants are scheduled to appear back in court on july 25. a 15th defendant, james carlson, 40, was arrested on burglary charges at columbia university, is facing a charge of criminal trespass in the third degree from the manhattan da, according to court records. he is also facing an arson charge from a separate incident. he's pleaded not guilty in both cases, court records show. the district attorney said there are ongoing school disciplinary proceedings for the students who had their case dismissed. cnn's emma tucker contributed to this report.           * get eyewitness news delivered * more new york city news* send us a news tip* download the abc7ny app for breaking news alerts * follow us on youtube

nearly all the protesters charged with storming and occupying columbia university’s campus during heated anti israel demonstrations won’t face criminal charges, manhattan prosecutors announced thursday   drawing outrage from law enforcement and jewish advocates. district attorney alvin bragg’s office dismissed cases against 31 of 46 people charged with trespassing in the ivy league school’s hamilton hall after a dramatic april 30 nypd raid rounded up protesters on the morningside heights campus. prosecutors largely cited lack of evidence, such as security video footage, that could tie the students or staff to the building takeover for leaving them free and clear without even a slap on the wrist. the dismissals quickly drew fury from rank and file nypd officers, higher education officials and jewish leaders who spoke with the post. “this is turnstile justice,” said michael nussbaum, a 25 year member of the jewish community relations council of new york. “this a green light for chaos, a green light for destroying property.” manhattan assistant district attorney stephen millan said that prosecutors had trouble moving forward with charges due to “extremely limited” video surveillance that couldn’t prove anything was damaged inside the building. milan also told judge kevin mcgrath that cameras inside hamilton hall were covered up during the police raid, and that no cops were injured. “it would be extremely difficult for the people to prove any charge of misconduct,” millan said in manhattan criminal court, adding the each of the individuals getting their cases tossed had no criminal history. protesters wore masks during the demonstration, making it difficult to point out the specific antics of each individual, the da’s office added. students and staffers at columbia, barnard or the union theological seminary who had their charges dropped face disciplinary action by the school, which also factored into the decision, prosecutors said. notorious protester aidan parisi, 27, a postgrad student in social work at columbia, was among the 31 to have their cases dismissed. the lone remaining hamilton hall defendant not offered a plea deal is james carlson, the scion of millionaire ad executives who owns a $2.3 million home in park slope. carlson, who has been dubbed as the “possible leader” of the columbia university protests, was reported to have been charged by cops with hate crime, assault and petit larceny raps. prosecutors said he faces trespassing charges for the hamilton hall takeover, as well as arson and criminal mischief charges for allegedly torching an israel supporter’s flag during an april demonstration. he is also accused of destroying a camera inside a holding call at one police plaza after he was taken into custody during the hamilton hall takeover. prosecutors said they plan to move forward with charges against carlson, who’s been dubbed a wannabe bad boy and is due back in court july 25. his attorney, moira meltzer cohen, said that carlson disputes the “validity of many of these allegations.” the da’s office told another 14 individuals   including 12 people not affiliated with the ivy league school   that their cases would be thrown out on certain conditions. but defense attorney matthew w. daloisio argued that they should have their cases tossed immediately, saying that no one was hurt or damaged property. “the only allegation that was different is that they weren’t enrolled or currently a faculty member,” daloisio told the judge, adding that this group included “alumni [and] community members concerned of genocide.” prosecutors also threw out nine cases   including six students   who were charged for occupying a building at the city college of new york protests on april 30. several police sources could barely contain their disbelief to the post. “lack of evidence?” one said. “apparently body worn camera wasn’t enough?” “we have a da giving them what amounts to a mandate to push the envelope further now,” fumed another veteran cop. jeffrey wiesenfeld, who served 15 years as trustee on the governing board for cuny, said it strained belief that authorities couldn’t identify anyone. “how can it be that you can’t identify a single person?” he said. “it’s not acceptable and it’s not good for the city.”

share a rally happened monday outside manhattan district attorney alvin bragg's office, calling him to reinstate charges against all of the pro palestinian protestors involved in the takeover of hamilton hall at columbia. in total 46 people were arrested, but the da is only moving forward with charges against a handful of them. fox 5 ny's lisa evers takes a closer look at why most of these cases were dropped. lower manhattan   people are upset that the charges against many of the columbia university protesters have been dropped. dozens of people brought together by the grassroots movement #endjewishhatred gathered outside the offices of manhattan district attorney alvin bragg monday morning. "end jew hatred, end jew hatred, end jew hatred!" they say they are outraged that of 46 arrests made at the takeover of hamilton hall at columbia university, 31 of the cases were dismissed, prosecutors say, due to a lack of evidence. recent graduate yola ashkenazie says it was frightening and dangerous. "they barricaded doors, smashed chairs, desks and windows, and terrified the columbia community and held maintenance workers mariano torres and his colleague hostage, trapping them in the building," ashkenazie said. columbia university professor shai davidai added, "it's disgraceful because once again we jews are left to fend for ourselves." officers have taken protesters into custody after columbia university called in police to end the pro palestinian occupation on the new york campus. the scene unfolded shortly after 9 p.m. tuesday as police, wearing helmets and carrying zip ties and riot shields, massed at the ivy league university’s entrance. officers breached hamilton hall, an administration building on campus, to clear out the structure. video obtained by fox 5 ny from the nypd showed the intense moments officers raided hamilton hall through a window on april 30. related: columbia university protests: a timeline of how we got here fox 5 ny reached out to da bragg's office for comment. the spokesperson said there were also 9 cases dismissed against protestors at city college as well and gave us this statement: "the office is continuing to pursue cases from both campuses, including all assaults against police officers. there are ongoing school disciplinary proceedings for the students who had their case dismissed." one of the rally leaders says the dismissal decision is sending the wrong message. "to not prosecute trespass claiming a lack of evidence, when the individuals were literally arrested in the location of their trespass, is on it's face ridiculous," alan minel, the chairman of the board holocaust museum and tolerance center of long island said. the nypd conducted special training in preparation for the arrests, so that they could be done without any injuries to protestors, even when they were acting aggressively toward officers. nearly 300 people were arrested. "we bring charges based on the facts, evidence, and what is provable in a court of law, and the office continues to prosecute an array of cases stemming from campus protests," the spokesperson for da bragg's office said. "district attorney bragg has set a strikingly dangerous precedent. he has given a free pass to those who violently and systematically bring chaos to our streets and our campus under the cover of a mask," columbia graduate eden yadegar said. the da's spokesperson says they will continue to bring charges where possible. #endjewishhatred leaders are pledging that they will be back again outside the bragg's office. this material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2025 fox television stations

profile sections local tv featured more from nbc follow nbc news news alerts there are no new alerts at this time nearly all of the people who were arrested inside columbia university’s hamilton hall last month had their cases dropped thursday. of the 46 people charged with trespassing in connection with the building’s occupation, the manhattan district attorney’s office dismissed cases against 31 people largely due to a lack of evidence. prosecutors told 14 others that their cases would be dropped if they avoid being arrested in the next six months, but those defendants rejected that offer and will be due back in court on july 25. the remaining defendant, james carlson, has two other open cases against him involving separate charges, including flag burning. carlson has no affiliation with the school. protesters had seized the building on the manhattan campus of columbia university on april 30 as demonstrations against the war in gaza erupted on some u.s. college campuses and as tensions at columbia intensified over mass suspensions. dozens were arrested the next day when police with riot helmets cleared the damaged and barricaded building. those arrested included at least 14 columbia undergraduates, nine graduate students, two employees and six students from affiliated schools, a columbia spokesperson previously said. at least 13 of them had no affiliation with columbia, the school said. the 31 people whose cases were dismissed were students or staff at columbia, barnard or union theological seminary.of the defendants who would have later had their cases dismissed, pending no further arrests, 12 were not staff members or students at columbia and two were students, the district attorney’s office said. at a news conference after the hearing, some of them, flanked by supporters, said they rejected the prosecutors’ conditional dismissal to show solidarity with those facing the most extreme repression across the pro palestinian movement. during the court appearances thursday afternoon, a prosecutor said the defendants do not have criminal histories and that they will face internal disciplinary proceedings at columbia. a columbia university official said the disciplinary process is ongoing but declined to comment further. the prosecutor said it would have been “extremely difficult” to prove the dismissed cases because the district attorney’s office lacks evidence, including surveillance footage from cameras that were covered up. the fact that some of the defendants wore masks also made it difficult to identify their specific actions. an attorney for the defendants asked the court to immediately dismiss the charges against all of the accused, saying there are no allegations that the defendants hurt people or damaged property. in the downtown courtroom, some of the defendants wore face masks and some wore kaffiyehs, which are distinctly patterned palestinian scarves. at least two wore sunglasses. as the hearings began, police confiscated what appeared to be a protest sign found under one of the seats. when a prosecutor told the court that carlson was accused of burning an israeli flag, some of the defendants seated in the room could be heard snickering. a police officer instructed them to be quiet. hamilton hall was famously occupied by people protesting the vietnam war in 1968. erik ortiz is a senior reporter for nbc news digital focusing on racial injustice and social inequality. daniel arkin is a national reporter at nbc news. melissa chan is a reporter for nbc news digital with a focus on veterans’ issues, mental health in the military and gun violence. © 2025 nbcuniversal media, llc

supported by the report, commissioned by new york’s governor, found that the city’s university system was ill equipped to handle rising antisemitism. but it also said the problem was not widespread. by sharon otterman the manhattan district attorney filed arson and criminal mischief charges against a brooklyn lawyer who was arrested in a university administration building. by sarah maslin nir he helped city college win two national championships in 1950 before pleading guilty in a point shaving scheme. he later became city’s basketball coach and a mentor. by richard goldstein the chief executive and a lead scientist stepped down weeks after a federal grand jury filed fraud charges against a research collaborator. by teddy rosenbluth hoau yan wang, a professor at city college, published studies supporting simufilam, now in advanced clinical trials. by apoorva mandavilli the manhattan district attorney’s office cited a lack of evidence in deciding not to prosecute 31 of the 46 people charged in the takeover of hamilton hall. by chelsia rose marcius the first graduation celebrations will begin on friday as the city’s colleges and universities are reeling from conflict over pro palestinian demonstrations and hundreds of student arrests. by sharon otterman the public college based in harlem has a long history of radical politics and activism. by christopher maag protesters had been camped out for days, demanding that their schools end financial ties with israel. by maia coleman, olivia bensimon and bernard mokam some of those arrested during the pro palestinian demonstration were outsiders, who appeared to be unaffiliated with the school, according to an analysis of police department data. by sharon otterman and chelsia rose marcius

home » why bragg dropped charges against most columbia student protesters the manhattan district attorney’s office cited a lack of evidence in deciding not to prosecute 31 of the 46 people charged in the takeover of hamilton hall. innotech precision diagnostics is looking for strategic partners and collaborators. copyright © 2023 innotech precision medicine. bwg. all right reserved. dr. carlos aparicio, ph.d., serves as the chief operating officer of innotech precision medicine. with over 30 years of leadership experience in product development and commercialization at pharmaceutical and medical devices industries, dr. aparicio brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our team. dr. aparicio serves as ceo & president of clas automation, inc., a world renowned provider of laboratory automation services to clinical research organizations (cros), pharmaceutical companies, and academia. his extensive career also includes c level positions and product development roles at leading companies such as immunosite technologies, abbott, beckman coulter, warner lambert, and ciba geigy. dr. aparicio is also a technical lead for the nih/radx tech program, focusing on the rapid development of diagnostic tests for infectious disease. in this role, he advises diagnostic companies on their development and commercialization strategies. his involvement in this program underscores his commitment to advancing diagnostic technologies and improving public health. at innotech, dr. aparicio leads the development and commercialization of our advanced diagnostic platform, recognize™, which utilizes multimodal detection to identify disease biomarkers with high precision. his deep understanding of molecular diagnostics and innovative approach are integral to our mission of providing accurate, easy to use, and affordable diagnostic solutions. dr. aparicio earned his ph.d. in chemical/biochemical engineering from rutgers university, an m.s. in chemical engineering from columbia university, and a b.s. in engineering science from the university of miami. throughout his career, he has authored numerous publications in peer reviewed journals and holds several patents in the field of diagnostics. dr. aparicio’s leadership and vision are critical to our efforts to revolutionize healthcare diagnostics, making high performance diagnostics accessible to all. his dedication to improving healthcare through innovation and scientific excellence is at the heart of innotech’s mission. dr. roya khosravi far, ph.d., pld, is the co founder, president of the board of directors, and chief executive officer of innotech precision medicine. she is passionate about translating bench side discoveries into bedside realities. with over 30 years of experience in translational medicine, she has successfully led numerous programs in research and development, both in academia and industry. she has been involved in translating research from her team to the clinical validation of therapeutics and has achieved early successful exits from device companies. dr. khosravi far received her ph.d. in genetics and molecular biology from the university of north carolina, chapel hill, under the mentorship of professor channing der, and completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the massachusetts institute of technology in cancer immunology with nobel laureate david baltimore. she holds a graduate certificate from harvard business school’s program in leadership development. she served as a professor of pathology at harvard medical school for 17 years and is an emeritus pathologist at beth israel deaconess medical center and harvard medical school. additionally, she has held significant roles such as vp of r&d at ziopharm (alaunos) and president and cto at accurome health. she also holds certificates in translational medicine from harvard medical school and biopharmaceutical regulatory affairs from northeastern university. dr. khosravi far leads the research and development team at innotech, working to develop and commercialize a high performance diagnostic platform, recognize™, which is based on the simultaneous detection of multiple classes of macromolecules from a single specimen. this technology aims to improve accuracy and enable the early detection of complex diseases. she collaborates with in house experts, external partners, and consulting groups to align the development, validation, and commercialization of recognize™. throughout her career, dr. khosravi far has been the principal investigator and awardee of numerous grants from prestigious organizations such as the nci, nhlbi, dod, and acs. she is an american cancer society scholar. her scientific work and discoveries have been cited nearly 16,100 times and she has an i10 index of 85. she has co authored seventy nine publications in peer reviewed journals, co edited three books, and holds several issued patents. she is the principal investigator of radx rad and radx rad supplement awards from the nih for the initial development of recognize™ and other nih awards. under her leadership, innotech has been selected for various incubator and accelerator programs and has received multiple awards and prizes, including massnextgen, massmedic ignite, m2d2/barda impact, barracuda bowl (finalist), eppicon (first prize), pxdx (finalist), eddies (finalist), techconnect innovation, and more. richard devito, m.s., is the co founder and vp of engineering at innotech precision medicine. with a rich background in physics and engineering, richard brings over 30 years of experience in nanotechnology, mems, microfluidics and device research and development, process and product development, and manufacturing leadership to the innotech team. richard received his m.s. in physics from syracuse university and is a physicist by education and an engineer by training. throughout his career, he has held several key positions, including principal engineer at raytheon, where he designed and optimized manufacturing processes for a variety of devices, including medical devices. at mks, he served as a principal engineer, managing the workflow processes for the manufacturing of chips used in eua authorized covid 19 tests for their customers. among his recent roles, richard held leadership positions at draper labs in cambridge, ma, where he directed and managed the workflow and processes at the biology and mems facilities. he also served as the director of northeastern university’s nanomanufacturing facility for eight years, overseeing programs including biosensor development with nanomaterials. richard’s expertise spans a vast array of micro and nanofabrication processes and device engineering. he has worked on and led projects ranging from developing optical coatings to infrared sensors and ceramic transducers. he holds five patents on unique equipment and device designs. as an entrepreneur, richard co founded an equipment company that was sold to veeco corporation and another technology company with dr. roya khosravi far that was sold to gt advanced technologies. he also collaborated with dr. mollaaghababa on another startup diagnostic company that was recently sold. at innotech, richard plays a crucial role in engineering and technology development, driving innovation and ensuring the highest standards in product development and manufacturing. his extensive experience and leadership in engineering are vital to innotech’s mission of developing advanced diagnostic solutions that are accessible, accurate, and affordable. reza mollaaghababa, ph.d., j.d., is a co founder, a member of the board of directors, co inventor of innotech’s technology, and serves as the chief strategist at innotech precision medicine. as a serial entrepreneur with a keen interest in medical devices, dr. mollaaghababa brings over 30 years of experience in microfluidics, electronics, and strategic intellectual property planning to the team. with a robust background in both science and law, dr. mollaaghababa combines expertise in technology innovation, strategic planning, and legal acumen. his multidisciplinary approach is instrumental in steering innotech towards achieving its mission of revolutionizing diagnostic testing. his extensive experience includes key roles in various successful ventures where he has been pivotal in driving growth, fostering innovation, and ensuring regulatory compliance. at innotech, dr. mollaaghababa’s role involves guiding the company’s long term vision and strategy. he collaborates closely with the leadership team to identify and capitalize on market opportunities, forge strategic partnerships, and oversee the commercialization of innotech’s advanced diagnostic solutions. his insights into the intersection of technology, business, and law enable innotech to navigate challenges and achieve its ambitious goals. dr. mollaaghababa’s strategic leadership has been crucial in positioning innotech as a leader in the diagnostic industry. his contributions are essential to the company’s efforts to provide innovative, reliable, and accessible diagnostic solutions that improve healthcare outcomes for patients worldwide. dr. nir is a scientist, entrepreneur, and angel investor with over 30 years of experience commercializing recombinant cytokines and pre clinical contract research services. dr. nir is the co founder of two preclinical contract research organizations: sbh sciences and woodland biosciences, four biotech companies: karyopharm therapeutics (nasdaq: kpti), galectin sciences, vuja de sciences, and alma biotherapeutics. dr. nir is also co founder of sbh diagnostics. to fulfill his vision and help startup companies, he co founded two additional companies; sky ventures and abi lab; a bioincubator located in natick, ma. he received his phd from tel aviv university (biotechnology; 1990) and master in engineering management (1997; njit). since 1997, dr. nir serves as the president and cso of sbh sciences where he manages all company’s r&d and business activities. zeid barakat, mba, is a member of innotech’s board of directors. he is a partner at a scimitar consulting management firm and a seasoned life science consultant and entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience leading initiatives across the critical value chain in the biopharma and medical device industries. his expertise encompasses digital transformation, advanced clinical development optimization, techops manufacturing, and network strategy. zeid has successfully managed high stakes commercial launches exceeding $1 billion and has played a pivotal role in numerous m&a and private equity transactions. his career began at prtm, where he worked as a director level consultant, continuing at pwc after prtm’s acquisition. some of the firms that he has worked with include genentech, moderna, illumina, thermofisher, foundation medicine, j&j, takeda, and novartis. as an entrepreneur, zeid was an early co founder of aura biosciences in 2007, a pioneering vlp (virus like particle) delivery company (2021 ipo). in 2011, he co founded flyberry capital, an ai/ ml fund quant fund that utilized streaming data to execute trades. at flyberry, he raised over $25 million in corporate and vc financing, leading to the fund’s acquisition by a private equity firm in 2016. zeid received his mba from the mit sloan school of management, an ma in biotechnology from harvard university, and a ba in biochemistry from bowdoin college. he is a competitive tennis player, and painter, and considers chess a sport. raphael nir, ph.d., is a member of innotech’s medical and scientific advisory board and an angel investor at innotech. he is a scientist, entrepreneur, and angel investor with 30 years of biotechnology experience spanning preclinical research, drug discovery, cell based assays, process development, and recombinant cytokines production. he is the founder and owner of sbh sciences, which he built from the ground up to become a leading supplier of recombinant cytokines and a preferred discovery research organization that has assisted more than 180 biotechnology companies since 1997. he is also the founder and owner of sbh diagnostics, which has a clia lab supporting several diagnostics companies. raphael co founded the biotechnology companies karyopharm therapeutics (nasdaq: kpti), galectin sciences, and alma bio therapeutics. additionally, he is a co founder and partner at sky ventures, woodland biosciences, and abi lab. raphael earned his ph.d. in biotechnology, his m.s. in biochemistry, and his b.s. in chemistry from tel aviv university, and his m.s. in engineering management from new jersey institute of technology. he was a postdoctoral researcher at schering plough research institute, where he later became a senior scientist/associate principal scientist and developed innovative cell culture processes and solutions related to biological production. ali shazib, dmd, is a member of innotech’s medical and scientific advisory board. he is an associate professor of oral medicine oncology and orofacial pain and dean for the workman school of dental medicine. he previously served as the founding chief clinical officer for high point university health  oral health network, hpu’s academic oral health system. dr. shazib completed his bachelor of dental surgery from pakistan (gold medalist) and doctor of dental medicine (dmd, honors) from boston university school of dental medicine. he went on to complete his residency in oral medicine at harvard school of dental medicine, where he was elected as chief resident for dana farber cancer institute and brigham and women’s hospital. dr. shazib was a recipient of the prestigious joseph henry award from harvard school of dental medicine, recognized for outstanding contribution in patient care and research. dr. shazib was a practicing owner of a large multi specialty dental clinic in maine, managing director of a top 3 dso, and founding director for hospital oral medicine services at university of north carolina chapel hill. dr. shazib’s clinical interests include dentistry for medically complex patients, oral oncology (oral healthcare for patients before, during, and after cancer therapy), oral medicine (management of oral systemic conditions), and orofacial pain (tmd, headaches, migraines, neuropathies). he is the founding director and maintains clinical practice in oral medicine oncology services at novant health cancer institute and atrium health  wake forest baptist/ high point medical center. in the area of research and discovery, dr. shazib interests are in cancer treatment related oral adverse events, emerging therapeutics for mucosal disorders, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, and precision medicine. he has recently published guidelines on management of patients suffering from immunotherapy related adverse events. he serves as a peer reviewer for journals such as oral oncology, oral diseases, oral surgery oral medicine oral pathology oral radiology (oooo), jama (otolaryngology), frontiers (oral health), supportive care in cancer, and cancer. dr. shazib has published chapters in oral oncology and has given talks internationally in various forums. dr. shazib is a site visitor for hospital programs for the commission of dental accreditation (coda), department of education. stefan riedel, ph.d., m.d., is a highly respected clinical pathologist and an expert in diagnostic microbiology and infectious diseases. with over two decades of experience in the medical field, dr. riedel has made significant contributions to clinical diagnostics. dr. riedel currently serves as an associate professor of pathology at harvard medical school and as a clinical pathologist at beth israel deaconess medical center in boston, massachusetts. he is the associate medical director of the diagnostic microbiology laboratory, providing critical insights and expertise in the identification and management of infectious diseases. dr. riedel earned his md and phd degrees from the johan wolfgang goethe university in frankfurt (am main), germany. he initially received clinical/residency training in surgery and orthopaedic surgery in germany, england, and switzerland; he subsequently completed his residency in anatomic & clinical pathology at the baylor university medical center in dallas, tx. dr. riedel then completed a two year fellowship training in medical & public health microbiology at the university of iowa hospitals and clinics in iowa city, ia. throughout his career, dr. riedel has been involved in numerous research projects and clinical trials, particularly focusing on the development and implementation of new diagnostic technologies. his research has been widely published in peer reviewed journals, and he is a frequent speaker at national and international conferences on topics related to clinical microbiology and infectious diseases. he is actively involved in various professional organizations, including the college of american pathologists, the american society for microbiology, and the infectious diseases society of america, where he contributes to the advancement of the field through his expertise and leadership. dr. stefan riedel’s commitment to excellence in clinical diagnostics, education, and research has made him a prominent figure in the field of pathology and laboratory medicine, continuously contributing to the advancement of healthcare. roya zandparsa, dds, msc, dmd, ficd, is a member of innotech’s medical and scientific advisory board. she serves as a clinical professor and biomaterials course director in the department of prosthodontics at tufts university school of dental medicine (tusdm) and as a lecturer in the department of restorative dentistry and biomaterials sciences at harvard school of dental medicine. dr. zandparsa is also the chief innovation & development officer at qualitas dental partners organization, the director of the qualitas training center, the founder & ceo of expert dental advisory, the president elect of the american association of women dentists (aawd), the past president of the american academy of dental science, and a fellow of the international college of dentistry. dr. zandparsa received her dmd from tufts university school of dental medicine, a master of science in biomaterials & biomimetics, and a certificate in prosthodontics from new york university graduate school of arts and science and new york university college of dentistry, respectively. she completed fellowships in implant dentistry at harvard university school of dental medicine, academic leadership through the american dental education association (adea) leadership institute, and holds additional certificates in advanced surgical implant dentistry, entrepreneurship from harvard business school (hbsx), and innovation processes from massachusetts institute of technology (mitx). dr. zandparsa has received numerous awards during her academic career for outstanding scholarship and clinical work, excellence in clinical teaching, and exemplary leadership. she has made significant contributions to research in various fields, resulting in numerous published articles and book chapters. she is also a prominent dental speaker, frequently lecturing and presenting at national and international conferences. additionally, she reviews manuscripts for several scientific journals and actively participates in multiple dental organizations. her expertise as an educational consultant for various dental companies has established her as a highly sought after consultant within the dental industry. dr. melina masihi, md, phd, is a visionary healthcare leader and accomplished medical director with over 14 years of expertise in clinical research, medical affairs, and precision medicine. driven by a passion for advancing patient care through innovation and collaboration, she has successfully led more than 70 clinical trials spanning therapeutic areas such as gastroenterology, hematology, and oncology at northwestern hospital and northwestern university feinberg school of medicine. her unique ability to bridge groundbreaking medical research with operational excellence has consistently enhanced clinical outcomes and delivered measurable stakeholder value. dr. masihi earned her m.d. and ph.d. in healthcare services, combining deep clinical knowledge with strategic insight into health systems management. she has held leadership roles at esteemed institutions and collaborated with global medical device and pharmaceutical organizations, including astrazeneca, merck, medtronic, and boehringer ingelheim. her contributions have been instrumental in securing multi million dollar nih grants, publishing impactful peer reviewed research, and driving successful product launches in partnership with industry leaders. recognized for her emotional intelligence, exceptional communication skills, and ability to inspire high performing, cross functional teams, dr. masihi excels at building strong relationships with key opinion leaders (kols) and healthcare professionals. her commitment to patient centric innovation is evident in her extensive contributions to education, research, and initiatives that improve global health outcomes. dr. masihi is thrilled to bring her expertise to innotech precision medicine, where she is dedicated to advancing the company’s mission of transforming patient care through precision and innovation. her leadership, vision, and passion for personalized healthcare are driving forces in shaping a brighter future for patients worldwide.
supported by the manhattan district attorney’s office cited a lack of evidence in deciding not to prosecute 31 of the 46 people charged in the takeover of hamilton hall. by chelsia rose marcius alvin bragg, the manhattan district attorney, last week dropped most of the 46 cases against pro palestinian demonstrators charged in the april 30 siege of hamilton hall at columbia university because prosecutors had little proof that the cases would stand up at trial. there was limited video footage of what took place inside the campus building, doug cohen, a spokesman for the district attorney, said in a statement. the protesters wore masks and covered security cameras, preventing prosecutors from identifying those who had barricaded the doors and smashed chairs, desks and windows during the 17 hour occupation. the district attorney announced the decision to drop 31 of the 46 cases during a court hearing on thursday. apart from trespassing, a misdemeanor, proving any other criminal charges would be “extremely difficult,” mr. cohen said. for similar reasons, prosecutors also dismissed charges against nine of the 22 students and staff members at city college who were arrested inside a campus building and charged with burglary during a protest that took place on the same night as the arrests at hamilton hall. six other people who were arrested outside the building still face criminal charges: five were charged with second degree assault, a felony, and another was charged with criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, a misdemeanor. the protests on april 30 grew out of a weekslong encampment on columbia’s south lawn that ignited similar demonstrations at college campuses across the country and resulted in hundreds of arrests. as the academic year drew to a close, protesters called on columbia to divest from israel, among other demands, sometimes clashing with counterprotesters or with the police.

 a new york judge on thursday dismissed trespassing cases against 30 individuals who were among the dozens arrested inside columbia university’s hamilton hall during a pro palestinian protest in april, with prosecutors citing a lack of evidence. of the 46 initially arrested, 15 defendants still face charges, the manhattan district attorney’s office said. dozens of pro palestinian protesters were accused of unlawfully entering the university’s hamilton hall on april 30 and barricading themselves inside before the university asked for assistance from the new york police department. after being removed from the building, many were charged with criminal trespass in the third degree, a class b misdemeanor. manhattan district attorney alvin bragg said at the time he intended to look at each case and make decisions based on facts and the law. in the past, the manhattan da’s office has declined to prosecute or deferred prosecution cases where large numbers of people were arrested as part of civil disobedience. related article here’s what we know about those arrested at nyc pro palestinian campus protests tuesday night during thursday’s court hearing, judge kevin mcgrath dismissed 30 cases of trespass against those who have no criminal history. one other defendant previously had their case dismissed, for a total of 31 individuals no longer facing charges. “at the time of the charged conduct, the defendants were either staff employed by, or students enrolled in, columbia university, and are now subject to student or staff disciplinary proceedings,” according to the manhattan da’s news release. in calling for the dismissal of charges thursday, assistant district attorney stephen millan cited what he called “extremely limited video,” adding that “the security cameras were immediately covered by certain defendants,” who prosecutors have been unable to identify.