Criminal Charges Dismissed Against Black Lives Matter Los Angeles Leader

Federal Civil Rights Lawsuit to Be Filed

Civil rights attorney Carl Douglas announced today that on Thursday all criminal charges against his client Black Lives Matter Los Angeles leader Dr. Melina Abdullah filed by City Attorney Mike Feuer’s office have been dismissed.

“We celebrate the City Attorney’s decision to dismiss all charges against Dr. Abdullah,” said Douglas. “While the dismissal of all charges against this noble warrior is a great victory, the battle for justice is not over. Dr. Abdullah’s rights were trampled upon on May 8, 2018, when she was falsely accused of grabbing an LAPD sergeant during a Police Commission hearing. She was arrested for that false allegation, two of the charges that were dismissed today concern that wrongful arrest. So, we intend to vindicate this violation of her civil rights by filing a federal civil rights lawsuit and exposing a corrupt police officer who wanted to silence this strong voice of change.”

In February, Dr. Abdullah was charged with eight criminal counts related to her anti-police activism, including battery on an LAPD officer and faced up to a year in prison if convicted. (Court Case No. 8CJ10572).

Supporters of Dr. Abdullah, who is a California State University Los Angeles professor, say that the charges are malicious and discriminatory and are a direct attempt to criminalize Black protest.

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