Ventura County Prosecutors Announce New Details in Death of Pro-Israel Protester
Prosecutors in Ventura County have released new information regarding the charges filed against a man who was recently arrested in connection with the death of a 69-year-old pro-Israel protester.
During a press conference on Friday, Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko emphasized that the investigation was approached with an open mind and that no specific outcome or criminal culpability was predetermined.
The suspect, identified as 50-year-old Loay Abdelfattah Alnaji, was taken into custody at his Moorpark residence early Thursday. He is currently being held on $1 million bail, according to the Ventura County Sheriff's Department.
Alnaji, who works as a professor at Moorpark College, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and battery causing serious bodily injury. Both charges are felonies. Prosecutors also stated that Alnaji personally inflicted great bodily injury, which carries special allegations.
"The significance of the special allegations is that they elevate these offenses to strikes under California's 'Three Strikes' law," Nasarenko explained. "This makes punishment prison eligible."
A man has been arrested in connection with a fatal incident that occurred during a protest in Thousand Oaks. The incident took place during a dueling protest over the Israel-Hamas conflict in early November. The victim, a 69-year-old Jewish man named Paul Kessler, tragically lost his life as a result of the altercation.
The defendant, whose name has not been disclosed, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter. According to the charging document, it is alleged that the defendant's reckless conduct led to the death of Paul Kessler. The defendant is accused of engaging in behavior that carried a high risk of death or serious injury, and a reasonable person would have expected and appreciated this risk.
The incident occurred at the intersection of Westlake Boulevard and Thousand Oaks Boulevard, where pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian protesters were rallying. Witnesses reported that the defendant struck Paul Kessler, causing him to fall and hit his head on the ground. Kessler was immediately taken to a nearby hospital but succumbed to his injuries the following day.
The Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office has classified Paul Kessler's death as a homicide.
For more information about the ongoing investigation into this incident, please visit this link.
Investigators have conducted interviews with over 60 witnesses and reviewed more than 600 pieces of evidence as part of their ongoing investigation, according to Nasarenko.
Sheriff's investigators have obtained video evidence that clearly shows the sequence of events leading up to the confrontation between Kessler and Alnaji.
"This was a challenging task, considering the different and often conflicting interpretations and statements, as well as the fragmented nature of the evidence," said Nasarenko. "However, with the close collaboration of our sheriff detectives, we were able to uncover additional important information. In filing these charges, we relied on new physical and forensic evidence, as well as findings regarding the injuries to the left side of Paul Kessler's face."
The Jewish Federation of Los Angeles issued a statement after the incident, stating that Kessler was struck in the head by a pro-Palestinian protester wielding a megaphone.
Nasarenko explained that murder charges were not filed against Alnaji due to lack of intent, and that they have not filed a hate crime charge at this time, although the investigation is still ongoing.
Alnaji is scheduled for arraignment in Ventura County court on Friday afternoon.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the incident and are urging anyone with information to contact the sheriff's office at (805) 384-4745. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.
