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US: Charges dropped against protester accused of laser pointer assault

A protester accused of assaulting a San Francisco police officer with a laser pointer had all charges dropped on April 22 2021.

Yusuf Labib had been arrested in March 2021 at a memorial for Breonna Taylor on a charge with "assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury."

At a court hearing, the prosecutor said "in this instance the People do not believe the evidence shows beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Labib specifically intended to cause fear of bodily harm.”

She continued, “The police officer in this case personally knew colleagues who have suffered permanent eye damage from lasers being shined in their eyes, so they take this conduct very seriously…. The People request Mr. Labib recognize that these potential risks exist before choosing to use a laser pointer in the future.”

Labib told the judge that he heard the prosecutor's comments.

From the Davis Vanguard