SAN FRANCISCO, CA – A black District Attorney in Contra Costa County, California, has charged two Trump supporters with a “hate crime” for painting over a Black Lives Matter mural on the Fourth of July, according to a press release dated July 7, 2020.
Today, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office charged Nicole Anderson (42-years old Martinez resident) and David Nelson (53-years-old Martinez resident) with three misdemeanor counts, including a hate crime, for their alleged actions on Saturday, July 4, when defendant Anderson covered up a Black Lives Matter mural with black paint. Nelson directly aided in the alleged criminal conduct. The incident was captured on video by witnesses.
“We must address the root and byproduct of systemic racism in our country. The Black Lives Matter movement is an important civil rights cause that deserves all of our attention,” stated Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton. “The mural completed last weekend was a peaceful and powerful way to communicate the importance of Black lives in Contra Costa County and the country. We must continue to elevate discussions and actually listen to one another in an effort to heal our community and country.”
Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton
Attorney Bilal Essayli, who was hired to defend the case by a conservative nonprofit group the Center for American Liberty, said he is looking forward to challenging the charges in court.
“We look forward to presenting our case to the jury,” Essayli said. “We think the charges here, frankly, are outrageous. That a highly politicized DA who’s funded by George Soros would categorize anyone who disagrees with the radical Black Lives Matter organization as hateful or racist…It’s an overcharge in our view, it’s a political message and the justice system should not be weaponized in that manner.”
Bilal A. Essayli — Essayli & Brown LLP
The incident, captured by witnesses on video, went viral after being posted to social media. If convicted, both defendants face up to a year in county jail. The alleged offenses are exempt from a specific bail amount due to the current county bail schedule in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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