First "Stop Cop City" protester faces trial in Georgia RICO case
Why it matters: The state prosecution of 19-year-old Ayla King could preview how Georgia will pursue the remaining 60-plus "Stop Cop City" cases, and shape the future of protest and criminal law in the state.
Catch up quick: King, a Massachusetts resident, was one of dozens of people who prosecutors allege are "militant anarchists" who tried to halt the police and fire academy's construction with vandalism and arson.
King, who uses they/them pronouns, is accused of storming the DeKalb County construction site in March 2023 with more than 20 other masked activists after a nearby protest concert.
King faces one racketeering charge and could be sentenced to five to 20 years in prison, the AP reports. Their attorney, Surinder Chadha Jimenez, said King is innocent.
State of play: King requested a speedy trial in late 2023, not long after their indictment along with 60 other people who are accused of domestic terrorism, racketeering, money laundering and more.
Their case has been anything but speedy, lumbering along thanks to a procedural debate over whether the trial commenced within the required time frame.
Zoom out: Supporters and free speech advocates say the indictments, along with new state laws stiffening punishments on people who commit vandalism during protests, are aimed at chilling activism.
Efforts to halt the training center with legal action and a referendum have failed in the courts or become mired in appeals. The $118 million public safety academy on 85 acres opened earlier this year.
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