Protest leader pleads not guilty to riot-related charges
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — A leader of a raucous protest that police dubbed a riot pleaded not guilty to several charges Tuesday.
Twenty-year-old Charles Johnson of Colorado Springs and two others --36-year-old Sherrie Smith of Fountain and 33-year-old Lloyd Porche of Denver-- were arrested following the protest.
Johnson was charged with engaging in a riot, disobeying a public safety order, obstructing a highway/passageway, menacing, theft, and attempted robbery.
His attorney Alison Blackwell said Johnson’s charges are the result of a “political prosecution” and that he is being treated differently because of his outspokenness in the community.
Blackwell called the arrest “suspicious,” because “the prosecution waited a while before making the arrest.”
The arrests came more than a month after the August 3rd protest in the Pulpit Rock neighborhood. Protesters called for the termination of an officer who was involved in the fatal shooting of De'Von Bailey.
That officer, Sgt. Alan Van't Land, was cleared of any criminal charges and civil rights violations.
Several protesters were armed with rifles while wearing face coverings. People in the neighborhood were confronted by the armed protesters. Some of the armed protesters stood in front of vehicles and prevented them from driving through before being ordered to move by nearby CSPD officers.
We had a live stream during the protest, which you can watch at this link here.
CSPD says Smith and Porche were armed with rifles. Johnson is accused of trying to take a cell phone from a citizen. All three were charged with felony offenses related to "engaging in a riot" or "inciting a riot."
"What may have begun as a peaceful protest, quickly escalated into riotous and illegal behavior," Lt. Jim Sokolik with CSPD said in September.
Johnson’s attorney said he has a history of being an outspoken person. He participated in protests in June in downtown Colorado Springs following the death of George Floyd.
Johnson's trial date has been tentatively set for Jan. 11.
